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PLAYS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN 





























































































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PLAYS FOR SCHOOL 
CHILDREN 


EDITED BY 

ANNA M. LUTKENHAUS 

*9 

Director of the Dramatic Club, Public School No. 15, 
Borough of Manhattan, New York City 

WITH INTRODUCTION BY 

MARGARET KNOX ^ 

Principal of Public School No. 15, Borough 
of Manhattan, New York City 



NEW YORK 
THE CENTURY CO. 
1915 


Copyright, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1915, by 
The Centuby Co. 


Published, April, 1915 


APR 27 1915 

©CI.A397737 

V 


<y 

f-' 


DEDICATION 


We dedicate this book to all children who 
love a good story, with this message: If 
you would become better and better ac- 
quainted with your favorite heroes and 
heoroines in fiction and history, be the hero 
— act your part and act it well, and by- 
and-by you will find yourself growing into 
the finer qualities of the character you love 
and growing out of the uglinesses of the 
character that you despise. 

Make your hero a real person. Be the 
hero yourself. “Act well your part, there, 
all the honor lies.” 

Margaret Knox, 

Anna M. Lutkenhaus. 




INTRODUCTION 


Dramatic "Work for Children. Its Place in the 
Elementary School 

By Margaret Knox 

I have often been asked questions of this sort : 

How do you teach your children to speak so well ? Their 
pronunciation is correct, their enunciation is clear, and their 
voices well modulated and truly expressive. 

Why is it that the boys and girls talk so intelligently in 
the classroom during a history, or geography, or English 
literature and composition period ? 

How do you train your children to be so self-contained 
and at ease when meeting strangers ; and during recitation 
periods in classrooms, and in assembly entertainment? 

Why is it that in none of your classes does there seem to 
be any of the old drill in facts, and forms, but rather that 
there is always a happy, pleasing spirit of interest and en- 
thusiasm which makes the lesson periods fly fast? 

How do you have time for dramatic work, plays, and 
pageants ? They are so difficult to teach and so troublesome 
to prepare and the requirements of our Course of Study are 
so many. 

It is in answer to questions of this kind that we have been 
persuaded to gather together these dramatic exercises of our 
school and to send them out with an explanatory chapter or 

vii 


INTRODUCTION 


viii 

foreword as their introduction to the teachers and children 
of all elementary schools. 

Some time ago in my practical experience in teaching 
reading to little children I felt the tedium and the drudgery 
of it all. I was sorry to see the little tots sitting quietly in 
their stiff little benches, dull and repressed, and painfully 
toiling over such a story as this: 4 ‘See the cat. It is my 
cat. It is a black cat. It is my black cat. My cat is a good 
black cat.” 

The neat little book containing page after page of this 
sort of text attracted the children for a day or two, only 
because they were reading out of a book for themselves ; but 
oh, how soon the interest flagged and the little tired faces 
turned longingly toward the window or anywhere away 
from the book and the lesson! 

Then began the awakening process, the carrying into ef- 
fect an idea that had been for a long time striving to make 
itself known, so that children could learn to read more easily 
and would love to read more generally. 

Contrast the page of reading just cited with one on which 
“Hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle,” caught the 
child’s eye ; or, “Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been? 
I’ve been to London to see the Queen”; or, “I love little 
pussy, her coat is so warm. ’ ’ Can you see at once the dif- 
ference in the children’s attitude toward reading lessons? 
Can you not readily believe that the dull repetition of ‘ ‘ the 
cat, the black cat, my cat, ” is a sorry sort of thing to put be- 
fore a child when we have literature of the Mother Goose 
type, enough to fill the children’s primers for all time? 

With such stories illustrated with that cat and laughing 
dog and the dish and spoon running off, reading time be- 
comes play time. The class no longer yawns and looks long- 
ingly away from its book ; and, if in addition to all the fun 


INTRODUCTION 


ix 


of picture and story the children are allowed to be, and to 
do the things themselves, then, indeed, we have found “the 
royal road” to learning to read. 

When the children can choose to be the cat, and the fiddle, 
and the cow, and the moon, and the dog, and the dish, and 
the spoon, and can do the running and jumping and the 
laughing, it is only a little by-play to find the words that 
suit the action and the names belonging to the actors ; and 
in this way the printed page becomes the real drama and 
the children go often and gladly to the theater. 

Such was the origin of “Dramatics” in a big school of 
little children. The idea grew and grew, so that not only 
kindergartners and teachers of the first-year classes found 
this way of teaching reading successful, but the^upper grade 
teachers too found that the mechanics of the printed page, 
word recognition, spelling, pronunciation, punctuation, all 
were made easier when the children had the context well in 
mind and could tell in their own words or action what the 
words of the page before them were trying to say. 

From the study of this play spirit or dramatic instinct, 
if it may be called so, that exists in every child, we found 
that every succeeding class enjoyed dramatization of their 
reader stories just as much as the first year babies enjoyed 
being the Mother Goose people. 

It is now a common thing to find the classes taking their 
own reader stories and selecting the characters, assigning 
each part to the boy or girl who is most suited to it. “You 
must be the giant because you are big,” or, “You must be 
Goldilocks because you have golden hair,” or, “You must 
be the tiny bear because you have a tiny voice — these are 
the things that even the little children say without any sug- 
gestion from the teacher. 

When you come into a fourth-year class and find the whole 


X 


INTRODUCTION 


room laughing until they cry, and altogether happy in play- 
ing scenes from “Alice in Wonderland, ” during a reading 
period; or, grave and subdued in acting the “Hiawatha” 
famine scene, in a fifth-year class, you will understand what 
it means to make use of this dramatic instinct; for here so 
much more is accomplished than the mere reading of the 
story, — lives are lived and the emotional side to the child 
nature is properly trained. 

Every subject taught becomes alive and interesting when 
the children are led to see that the thoughts of the printed 
page came from the mind of some thinker ; that the facts of 
history are not dead things, but that this king, or general, 
or citizen, said and thought, and so history was written. 

‘ ‘ In 1492 Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, Italy, 
discovered America.” 

“In 1620 Plymouth, Massachusetts, was settled by the 
Puritans from England.” 

These are facts in history which, in my day as a child in 
school, were memorized from a long chronological table ap- 
pended to a text-book of history almost as dry and unin- 
teresting as the table itself. 

Now with the aid of dramatic teaching you find the chil- 
dren going to the library, searching for literature, poetry 
and song and prose concerning Columbus and his doings. 
You see a group of boys and girls at the Museum of Art 
studying Brozik’s great picture of Columbus before the 
Court of Spain; you find the children themselves selecting 
from among their classmates those whose appearance and 
traits best express the characters of the actors in the his- 
tory lesson and you find the great historical drama being 
enacted once more by the children. 

They thrill you, and they thrill themselves, as they give 
expression to Columbus ’ great, patient, indomitable courage 


INTRODUCTION 


xi 


in handling his mutinous crew, to the gentle Isabella’s un- 
certainty, and reluctance to let such an opportunity slip out 
of the grasp of Spain, and then her self-sacrifice in pledging 
her jewels in order to obtain money for carrying out this, 
perhaps, mad experiment, to the savage ’s worshipful awe as 
he falls before the white-faced angels who have come upon 
his shores as if from heaven. 

In this thrill, that the children get themselves, is found 
the true value of dramatic teaching. Every thrill of this 
kind awakens new power in the child that feels it. For the 
time being the children are the characters that they portray, 
and such understanding must necessarily broaden and 
deepen and inspire their own lives to bigger and better 
things both morally and mentally. 

As an aid in formal teaching or instruction, dramatiza- 
tion cannot be overestimated. I shall describe how its use 
in a class of girls of the higher grades, ages twelve to four- 
teen, influences the teaching of formal English composi- 
tion as well as history. 

Several classes in charge of the same teacher are studying 
English literature, composition, and English history. 

To some of the classes has been given the task of writing 
a composition that will be descriptive and narrative in 
form. They are to select one of the queens of England as 
their theme. 

All the girls write compositions of this character and as 
they are criticised and corrected in class the best are laid 
aside for impersonation either by the writer, or by some girl 
chosen by her classmates for her dramatic ability. 

Queens Elizabeth, Anne, Mary, and Victoria are chosen 
to be the characters in the play. Their time and the cus- 
toms are closely studied. Each group of girls prepares the 
costume and setting for the queen written about. There 


INTRODUCTION 


xii 

are visits to the libraries and museums for information as 
to costume and equipment. The girls themselves prepare 
the setting, the teacher taking care to keep it historically 
correct. 

To one of the classes is given the task of writing a formal 
expository composition that will introduce these queens and 
tell of their influence on England’s history. To another 
class is given the task of writing a composition that will 
close the play. 

The same plan is followed here, all the girls write on this 
subject and in class they are read for criticism and cor- 
rection and the best selected. Here the teacher in every in- 
stance has an enthusiastic audience which attentively listens 
and learns what good English composition is and what is 
meant by a prologue and an epilogue. 

After this the class prepares the play for presentation. 
A book of old English rimes is found with jingles concern- 
ing all the English monarchs. These, recited by the entire 
class, serve nicely to introduce the different periods of his- 
tory and the queen who typifies the time. 

The play is ready now, and in the classroom, or in the as- 
sembly hall, the children give it. In doing so they have 
learned and will teach to their audience many lessons that 
might have been taught by drill in memorizing facts and 
writing forms; but, how much better the facts and forms 
are remembered and what a good time all the children have 
had while they were learning them. 

Note the influence of such teaching upon the entire formal 
work of the classes taking part. History with all its dry 
facts — Spanish Armada, religious controversies and de- 
cisions, The Bill of Rights, — becomes intelligible and real 
to children. As they turn to the libraries and museums for 
help in getting these facts, they learn how to use the books 


INTRODUCTION 


xiii 


and other material placed at their command ; they are taught 
how to look for information and thus are trained in re- 
search and reference work for any subject which in later 
life they may take up either for profit or pleasure. 

Composition, in all its forms, is placed before the chil- 
dren, but not until they have happily, and for the fun of 
the thing, experimented in writing those forms. Narration, 
description, exposition — all have been explained and con- 
trasted and tried. Prose gives place to poetry, and pro- 
logues and epilogues are written and understood. The 
jingles brought into use encourage the children to write 
rimes and jingles themselves. 

In preparing the play for presentation before the as- 
sembled school the children have ample practice in design- 
ing and making the simple costumes which they are to wear. 
How much better for Manual Training as found in our 
Course of Study to sew and design such things, than to 
baste and hem and fell long, uninteresting strips of material 
that will not be used except as samples of girls’ ability to 
stitch nicely. 

With this explanation of one play prepared by the chil- 
dren themselves while working diligently under their 
teacher’s careful instruction in English composition, his- 
tory, and manual training, I am sure you will agree that 
“the play’s the thing to catch” the mind as well as the 
heart of the child. 

“The Queens of England 1 ,” written by the seventh and 
eighth-year girls, found in this volume, is the play described. 

Another result of this special dramatic exercise was the 
writing of “The Jingle Bbok for the Presidents of the 
United States, ’ ’ by the eighth-year girls, a little later. Ex- 
tracts from it are given below. 


xiv INTRODUCTION 

President George Washington, 1789-1797 

In seventeen eighty-nine he came, 

With all the honor and the fame ; 

He took the first presidential chair, 

And him the people did declare 
President of this Republic twice, 

And they did wish to have him thrice, 

He who many victories won, 

The brave and generous Washington. 

John Quincy Adams, 1825-1829 

J ohn Quincy Adams comes next to claim 
What seems to be every statesman ’s aim. 

He was the sixth to come in line 
From eighteen twenty-five to ’nine. 

In his one term ’s administration 
He did much to help the nation, 

Unpopular as president, but stern and just, 

He won of friend and foe their trust. 

Note historical facts given in the following one as well as 
the brave effort at riming. 

Abraham Lincoln, 1861-1865 

Born in a lowly cabin among the woods, 

He worked, he aimed, he won his fame, 

Our sixteenth president beloved by young and old the same, 
Many a mother had he comforted in pain, 

When her sons in death on a battlefield had lain. 

On Gettysburg field when Lincoln spoke 
Every heart was aching, every eye overflowing, every throat 
was choked. 

His face was homely but his beautiful soul 


INTRODUCTION 


xv 


Shone through his eyes as bright as a jewel; 

He tore asunder the bonds which kept our country with a 
stain, 

The slavery that gave his heart its greatest pain. 

His glorious sacrificing life was ended by an enemy ’s hand, 
And people mourned for him all over the land. 

Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-1909 

TEDDY OF THE JUNGLE 

Ha, here is a tale of rough-rider’s trail, 

At San Juan’s Hill he met them in warrior’s mail, 

And defeated the dusky Spaniards there. 

Then the Republicans thought a president he would make 
On whom they could their honor stake. 

When he finished his term and it was time to vacate 
To the jungle he went to recreate. 

Another instance may make clear to my fellow teachers 
the influence of dramatics upon the regular school work. I 
relate here a conversation that I heard recently. 

A group of teachers and a layman, interested in making 
the schools under his charge better, were a short time ago 
visiting a class in history. The subject under considera- 
tion was New England colonial government and the dra- 
matic incident of the lesson was the hiding of the charter of 
Connecticut in the oak tree while Governor Andros argued 
and stormed and demanded its surrender. 

The children who had prepared’ their history lesson at 
home from text-books, had found a little play depicting the 
whole scene. They gave this in the classroom in dramatic 
form. Speeches were made on both sides; the teacher’s 
desk was used as the council table, candles were placed 


xvi 


INTRODUCTION 


upon it and at the proper time they were blown out and the 
bit of yellow paper which represented the charter under 
dispute was lost in the hubbub and confusion of the dark- 
ness. 

Altogether the lesson in history was so emphasized that I 
am sure no one, child or adult, who was present could ever 
forget the facts and their meaning, nor can it be doubted 
that the children got the whole atmosphere and setting of 
colonial life in those days. 

Outside the classroom afterward the layman said, ‘ 1 That 
was a fine play. The children know how to speak and how 
to look angry and to govern, but what has all this to do with 
learning their lesson ? You said I was to see history taught. 
Is that teaching? They seemed only to play.” 

A famous teacher who was present, putting his hand on 
the other’s shoulder said, “You have seen to-day the dif- 
ference between formal teaching and real ‘education’ of the 
child; e-duco — I lead forth, that which is within. That 
teacher was leading the children out and on and on into 
self-expression. All the instruction of a life-time will not 
be worth while unless the one so instructed can give out 
again in fuller measure what has been poured in. So it is 
that ‘ Knowledge grows from more to more. ’ The children 
in that class are being educated. Would that there were 
more teachers who understood how to do this kind of teach- 
ing!” 

In my estimation this dramatic instinct that is in every 
child is one of the greatest powers in helping the teacher to 
educate the children in her charge. 

Our aim has been not only to train the children to read, 
write, and speak the English language well, but, we have 
kept constantly before us the higher aim of attaining fine 


INTRODUCTION xvii 

rich culture, and the building up of a well disciplined, 
worthy character. 

We feel that this sort of development is most beautifully 
rounded out when the emotional and spiritual nature of 
the child finds an outlet for self-expression. When the 
child can be Alice in Wonderland, or Little Lord Fauntle- 
roy, or merry Master Skylark, or Skylark’s stern father or 
gentle mother, we are providing the opportunity for this 
letting out of self. The child lives the life of the character 
he is representing and learns the lessons of life through 
these experiences. 

It has become the custom therefore in all English work 
and for celebrations of all anniversaries to encourage the 
children to tell the stories themselves in play and pageant. 
We encourage as many teachers and children as possibly can 
to take part in the preparation of these entertainments, and 
I think that in this hearty, pleasant cooperation of all in 
carrying out the requirements of our Course of Study is 
found the success that we may have attained in the teaching 
of English. 

This volume of plays and pageants and pantomime stories 
is a selection from many that have been used from time to 
time in our school. The setting and accompanying direc- 
tions with each play will make it easy for the teachers who 
have thought that they have no ability in this line to try 
again, and not only to get up dramatic performances for 
the special anniversaries celebrating some event in history, 
or for graduation day exercises, but it will perhaps lead 
them to educate their children to dramatize stories of fact 
and fancy, and perhaps write original plays for themselves. 

This sort of work trains children in habits of efficiency 
and economy. It has a great moral effect. Children learn 


INTKODUCTION- 


xviii 

to think quickly and logically. They also learn to be good- 
tempered and unselfish. There is no harder lesson for a 
child to learn than that of giving up a desired part to an- 
other who can do it better. 

In staging the play the teacher should guard against any 
unnecessary expense, and even though there is money to be 
had for costumes and decorations it is much better to use 
the crude and rude equipment at hand. This removes any 
tendency toward developing self-consciousness or vanity in 
the young players. 

Queen Elizabeth robed in an old dress belonging to her 
mother, with a paper ruff, and a crown made of book-linen 
studded with bright colored beads for gems, is quite differ- 
ent from the girl robed in the specially made queen’s cos- 
tume in all its gorgeous tinsel and finery; the one is the 
historical character portrayed by an intelligent child eager 
to express the moods and tempers of this interesting woman 
of history, the other is a puppet, a child, vain and self-con- 
scious, whose thoughts are on herself, her dress, and the 
impression that her own appearance is making upon the 
audience. 

All these things, the training in habits of efficiency, econ- 
omy, unselfishness, ingenuity, are the valuable assets to be 
found in using the dramatic instinct for educational pur- 
poses. 

This book aims to show how this training can be given, 
how these habits can be acquired. 

Margaret Knox 

Public School No. 15, 

Borough of Manhattan, 

New York City, 

December, 1914. 


I 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION vii 

MASTER SKYLARK 3 

BARNABY LEE 29 

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS 53 

TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, VIRGINIA, 1860 85 

A HANDFUL OF CLAY 97 

LADY OF THE LAKE 105 

THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF GLENMALURE 143 

A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 155 

OUR CHOICE 173 

EVERY BOY 179 

THANKSGIVING DAY — 1696 185 

THE CROWNING OF THE DRYADS 193 

THE BIRDS’ STORY OF THE TREES 203 

REFORMING A BAD BOY 209 

WELL BABIES 219 

A GEOGRAPHICAL SQUABBLE 229 

A GRAMMAR PLAY 235 

MRS. POLLYWIGS AND HER WONDERFUL WAXWORKS . . .243 

FOUR QUEENS OF ENGLAND 253 

A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA 263 

A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR THE SPECIAL DAYS 271 


I 


MASTER SKYLARK 


A Dramatization of the Book by John Bennett. Prepared for the 
Use of Elementary Schools in New York City by Anna M. 
Lutkenhaus, Director of the Dramatic Club of 
Public School 15, Borough of Manhattan. 


CHARACTERS 


Master Skylark (Nick Attwood) 

Mr. Attwood, father of Master Skylark 
Mrs. Attwood, mother of Master Skylark 
Master-Player and other players 
Will Shakespeare 
Ben Jonson 
Cicely 

Friends of Will Shakespeare 

Boys of Singing School in London 

Queen Elizabeth and courtiers, etc. 

Time: 1596. Place: Stratford-upon-Avon; 

London. 

Time required for production, forty-five minutes. 


MASTER SKYLARK 


FIRST SCENE 

[Near Attwood Cottage , in Stratford. Boys standing , 
watching and listening.] 

Herald. The Master-Players come to Strat- 
ford Town. 

Nick Attwood. They ’re coming, Robin — hark ye to the 
trampling ! 

Other Boys. [Jumping up on fence.] They ’re com- 
ing ! they ’re coming ! they ’re coming ! 

Another Boy. [Running up.] Who? Who? 

A Boy. Did you not hear? At dawn the Oxford car- 
rier brought the news. The players of the Lord High 
Admiral are coming to Stratford out of London, from the 
South, to play on May-day here. 

Boys. They ’re coming ! 

A Boy. [Running before the players.] There ’s a lot of 
them and oh, the bravest banners and attire — and the trum- 
pets are a cloth-yard long! 

Players. [Orchestra plays. Singing.] 

The hunt is up, the hunt is up, 

Sing merrily we, the hunt is up ! 

3 


4 


MASTER SKYLARK 


The wild birds sing, 

The dun deer spring, 

The forest aisles with music ring ! 

Tantara, tantara, tantara! 

Then ride along, ride along! 

[Boys follow around the stage after the players , and then 
follow them out.] 

SECOND SCENE 

Herald. Nick Attwood (Master Sky- 
lark) is refused permission to attend 
the play. 

[Nick runs in and stumbles .] 

Father. What madcap folly art thou up to now? 
[Angrily.] 

Nick. I be up to no folly at all. 

Father. Then be about thy business ! 

Nick. I have been about my business, sir: I have car- 
ried out the old, foul rushes, and prepared the room just 
as ye told me to do. 

Mother. [Puts arm around Nick.] Thou art mine 
own good little son, and I shall bake thee a cake on the mor- 
row for thy May-day feast. 

Nick. [Eagerly.] The Lord High Admiral’s Company 
is to act a stage-play at the guild-hall to-morrow before 
Master Davenant and the Mayor and town-burgesses. 

Mother. What will they play? 


MASTER SKYLARK 


5 


Nick. I can not say surely, mother — * ‘ Tamburlane, ’ ’ 
or perhaps “The Troublesome Reign of Old King John.” 
The play will be free, father ; may I go ? 

Father. And lose thy time from school ? 

Nick. There is no school to-morrow, sir. 

Father. Then have ye naught to do, but waste the day 
in idle folly ? 

Mother. It is May-day, Simon, and a bit of pleasure — 

Father. Pleasure ? If he does not find pleasure in his 
work, his book, and his home, he shall not seek it of low 
rogues. 

Mother. But, Simon, surely they are not all graceless ! 
Since mine own cousin, Anne Hathaway, married Will 
Shakespeare, the play-actor, ’tis scarcely kind to call all 
players rogues. 

Father. No more o 9 this, Margaret ! Thou art ever too 
ready with the boy’s part against me. He shall not go — 
so that is all there is about it. [Goes abruptly out.] 

Nick. [With clenched fist.] Mother, — 

Mother. [Softly.] Nicholas? 

Nick. But, mother, surely it cannot be wrong, w T hen the 
Queen — 

Mother. To honor thy father? Nay, lad, it is thy 
bounden duty. 

Nick. Mother, are you an angel come down out of 
Heaven ? 


6 


MASTER SKYLARK 


Mother. Nay, I be only the everyday mother of a fierce 
little son who hath many a hard, hard lesson to learn. 


THIRD SCENE 

Herald. Nick runs away and meets the 
Master-Player. 

Robin. [O'ne of the schoolboys .] Oh, Nick, such go- 
ings-on ! Stratford Council has had a quarrel, and there ’s 
to be no stage-play after all. 

Nick. What ! 

Robin. I heard my father talking about it. They were 
not served quickly enough at the inn and seized the order 
of Sir Thomas. Some drew swords. Sir Edward sprang 
up and said it was a shame to behave so outrageously in 
Will Shakespeare’s own town, and Sir Thomas swore that 
all stage-players were rogues and Will Shakespeare neither 
more nor less than a deer-stealing scape-gallus ! 

Nick. Surely he did not say that in the Stratford Coun- 
cil! 

Robin. Ay, but he did. And the Master-Player sprang 
upon the table and said that Will Shakespeare was his very 
own true friend and the sweetest fellow in all England, and 
threw his glove in one of their faces. Then Sir Thomas 
refused them license to play here. And Master John 
Shakespeare said there would be plenty of trouble when he 
sent word to his son Will and the Lord High Admiral of 
London. 


Nick. But where did they go ? 


MASTER SKYLARK 


7 


Robin. To Coventry, the next town, — and left the mas- 
ter-player behind in gaol. But this morning they cooled, 
and were in a pretty stew for fear of giving offense to the 
Lord Admiral, — and so they gave him his freedom and a 
chain beside. 

Nick. Whee-ew ! — I wish I were a master-player ! 

Robin. He swore he would be revenged on Stratford 
Town, and that he would walk the whole distance rather 
than use one of the horses that the burgesses sent him. 

Nick. Is he at the inn? Why, let ’s go down and see 
him ! 

Another Boy. Master Brunswood says he will birch 
whoever comes late. 

Nick. Birch ? Why he does nothing but birch ! A fel- 
low cannot say his verbs without catching it ! As for cases 
— not without a downright thrashing ! I shall not stand it 
any longer, I 11 run away! 

Boy. [Laughing.] And when the skies fall we 11 catch 
sparrows. Whither shall you run? 

Nick. [Defiantly.] To Coventry, after the stage-play- 
ers. [Boys Imgh.] You think I shall not. Well, I 11 
show you. There are bluebells blowing in the dingles, and 
while you are all grinding at your old grammar I shall be 
roaming over the hills. Ay, I shall be out where the birds 
can sing and the grass is green, and I shall see the stage- 
play. 

Another Boy. [ Mockingly .] We shall have but bread 
and milk and you will have — a most glorious thrashing from 
your father when you come home to-morrow night. 

Nick. ’T is a thrashing either way. Father will thrash 


8 


MASTER SKYLARK 


me if I run away and Master Brunswood will thrash me if 
I don’t. If I must take a thrashing, I ’ll have my good 
day’s game out first. [Starts to go away.] 

Robin. [Running after him.] But are you really going 
to Coventry? 

Nick. Ay truly, Robin, that I am. [Runs out. Boys 
go off stage talking excitedly.] 

Nick. [Comes back , singing.] 

List to the skylark, o’er the meadows winging, 

Message of happiness to the earth ’t is bringing; 

Joy bells are ringing, caroling, swinging, 

Vanished is every sadness : 

List to the skylark, o’er the meadows winging, 

Message of gladness to the earth ’tis bringing.* 


FOURTH SCENE 


[Nick singing.] 

Master-Player. My soul, my soul, it is the boy ! Upon 
my heart, he has a skylark prisoned in his throat! Well 
sung, Master Skylark ! Where did you learn that song ? 

Nick. [Hat off, and gazing with all admiration at Mas- 
ter-Player.] Mother taught me part and the rest just 
came, I think, sir. But, but, ye surely, sir, are the master- 
player ! 

Master-Player. A murrain on that town of Stratford, 
but vengeance will be mine. [Changing voice to a gentle 
tone.] Nay, lad, look not so dashed. That is only the 

* Chopin’s “Spring Song.” Words by Louis C. Elson. (Adapted.) 
From the New Ed. Music Course, Teachers’ Edition for Elementary Grades. 


MASTER SKYLARK 


9 


mighty tragic style. Be known to me, lad; what is your 
name? I like your open, pretty face. 

Nick. Nick Attwood is my name, sir. 

Master-Player. Nick Attwood, a good name ! And you 
are a good fellow, and I love you. So you are going to 
Coventry to see the fellows act ? Come, I am going to join 
my mates. You will stay with us and dine with us? 

Nick. Indeed, sir, I shall, and that right gladly! 

Master-Player. [Laughing.] Put on your cap, we are 
but two good faring fellows here. [Looks hack.] Upon 
my word yours is as fair a town as the heart of man could 
wish. Wish ? — I wish it were sunken in the sea ! 

Nick. [Sings a few lines of song.] 

Master-Player. [Thinking deeply. Suddenly slaps 
thigh.] I ’ll do it. I ’ll do it if I dance on air for it ! I ’ll 
have it out of canting Stratford Town. It is the very 
thing. His eyes are like twin holidays, and he breathes the 
breath of spring. — Nicholas — Nicholas Skylark — Master 
Skylark — why it is the very name ! I ’ll do it — 

Nick. [Timidly.] Did you speak to me, sir? 

Master-Player. Nay, lad. 

Nick. What will you play for the Mayor’s play, sir? 

Master-Player. I don’t know, it will all be done before 
I come. They had the free play to-day to catch the pence 
of May-day crowd to-morrow. 

Nick. [Stopping; eyes filling with tears.] I thought 
the free play would be on the morrow — and now; I have not 
a farthing to go in. 

Master-Player. [Laughing.] Tut, tut, you silly lad! 


10 


MASTER SKYLARK 


Am I your friend for nothing? Why, Nick, I love you, 
lad. You shall have a part in the play to-morrow, I shall 
teach it to you. 

Nick. What, Master Carew, I — truly? With the Lord 
Admiral’s Players? 

Master-Player. Why surely ! and here is Coventry and 
here are the other players. 

Players. [They shout and clap at the sight of Master- 
Player.] 

Master-Player. Thanks for these kind plaudits, gentle 
friends. I have returned. 

Player. Yes, we see you have. 

Master-Player. You see I have left the spoiler spoiled. 
— Be known, be known all! Gentlemen, my Lord Admir- 
al’s Players, Master Nicholas Skylark, the sweetest singer 
in all the Kingdom of England ! [Men laugh and wink at 
each other.] No jest, gentlemen. He has a sweeter voice 
than Cyril Davy’s, and he shall sing at our play to-mor- 
row! 

Player. To-morrow ? 

Master-Player. Yes, and I shall teach him some lines 
and then [turning to Nick,] we shall teach you to dance. 

Nick. Dance ? 

Master-Player. Like this — [Dances, with other players 
keeping time with him.] And now for some wine. [As 
they start out, Nick stops the Master-Player.] 

Nick. And to-morrow night I must walk back to my 
mother. 


MASTER SKYLARK 


11 


Master-Player. Walk? Nay, Nicholas, you shall ride 
back to-morrow to Stratford like a very king. [Nick goes 
out.] 

A Player. [Angrily.] I shall have no hand in this 
affair, Gat Carew! 

Master-Player. Hold thy blabbing tongue, Heywood! 

[Exeunt.] 


FIFTH SCENE 

Herald. Nick’s father hears that he has 
gone with the players. 

Mr. Attwood. Robin Getley, was my son with you over- 
night ? 

Robin. Nay, Master Attwood. Has he not come back? 

Mr. Attwood. Come back? From where? [Robin 
hesitates.] From where? Come, boy! 

Another Boy. He went to see the player, sir. He said 
he would bide with his uncle overnight and he said he 
wished he were the Master-Player. 

Mr. Attwood. [Very angrily , turns to a man.] Were 
you in Coventry, May-day? 

Man. Is it Nicholas you seek ? Why, sir, he ’s gone and 
got famous, sir. He sang there with the Lord High Ad- 
miral’s Players; and sir, you ’d scarce believe it, but peo- 


12 


MASTER SKYLARK 


pie went just daft to hear him sing, sir. They say, he has 
gone to London with them. 

Mrs. Attwood. [Running to meet him.] Nicholas? 

Mr. Attwood. Never speak to me of him again. He 
has gone his own wilful way, let him follow it to the end ! 
He has gone away with a pack of stage-playing rascals and 
vagabonds, whither no man knoweth. 

[All pass out , Mrs. Attwood heartbroken.] 


SIXTH SCENE 

Herald. Nick is stolen by the players. 

[At the Master-Player ’s house in London. Nick, sitting, 
the picture of despair, in a big chair. Cicely, the 
Player’s daughter, comes in.] 

Cicely. Boy, boy, where are your manners? [Nick 
bows.] Why, boy, you are a very pretty fellow. You 
look like a good boy! Why will you be so bad and break 
my father’s heart? 

Nick. [Stammering.] Break your father’s heart? 
Prithee, who is your father, Mistress Princess ? 

Cicely. Nay. I am no princess. I am Cicely Carew. 

Nick. [Clenching his fists.] Cicely Carew? Are you 
the daughter of that wicked man, Gaston Carew? 

Cicely. [Passionately.] My father is not wicked! 
You shall not say that — I will not speak with you at all. 

Nick. I do not care! If Master Gaston Carew is your 
father, he is the wuckedest man in the world ! 


MASTER SKYLARK 


13 


Cicely. [Stamping her foot.] Fie, for shame! How 
dare you say such a thing? 

Nick. [Indigyuintly and choking with emotion.] He 
has stolen me from home, and I shall never see my mother 
any more ! 

Cicely. [Coming over and patting his head.] There, 
don ’t cry ! My father will send you home to your mother, 
I know, for he is very kind and good. Some one has lied to 
you about him. Are you hungry ? There is a pasty and a 
cake in the buttery, and you shall have it if you will not 
cry any more. Come, I cannot bear to see you cry, — it 
makes me weep myself, and that will blear mine eyes, and 
father will feel badly. Come, [holding out hand] ’tis I 
should weep, not you; for my mother is dead. I do not 
think I ever saw her that I know, for she was a French- 
woman who served a murdered queen, and she was the 
loveliest woman that ever lived. But I am a right English 
girl for all that, and when they shout “God save .the Queen’ ’ 
at the play, I do too ! And, boy, it is a brave thing to hear ! 
It drove the Spaniards off the sea, my father often 
says. 

Nick. Pooh! They cannot beat us Englishmen! Do 
you truly think your father will let me go ? 

Cicely. Of course he will, I cannot see why you do hate 
him so. 

Nick. Why, truly, perhaps it is not your father that I 
hate, but only that he will not let me go, — and if he would, 
perhaps I ’d love him very much indeed. [Master-Player 
has come softly in.] 

Master-Player. Good, Nick ! thou art a trump ! Come, 


14 


MASTER SKYLARK 


lad, your hand. [Holding out both hands to Nick.] ’T is 
spoken like a gentleman. Nay, I shall kiss you, for I love 
you, Nick, upon my word, and on the remnant of mine 
honor! [Takes Nick’s hand and kisses him on the fore- 
head.] 

Cicely. Father, have you forgotten me? 

Master-Player. Nay, sweetheart, nay. [Places arm 
around her.] 

Cicely. [Patting his cheek.] Father, some one has 
told him naughty things about you. Come, daddy, say they 
are not so. 

Master-Player. [ Uneasily coughing.] Why, of course 
they ’re not. 

Cicely. There, boy ! I told you so. Why, daddy, they 
said that you had stolen him away from his own mother, and 
would not let him go. You ’ll send him home again, daddy, 
will you not? 

Master-Player. [Nervously.] Yes, yes, why to be 
sure, — we ’ll send him anywhere you say, Goldenheart, — 
but he is to sing for our good Queen Bess, first. 

Nick. But will you truly let me go? 

Master-Player. Yes, yes. But stay a while with Cicely 
and me, — we shall make you a right welcome guest. 

Cicely. [Clapping her hands.] Oh, do stay. I am so 
lonely. And do you truly, truly sing? 

Master-Player. Ay, like a skylark. He will often sing 
for you. 


MASTER SKYLARK 


15 


SEVENTH SCENE 

Herald. The other players object to 
Nick’s being kept from his mother. 

A Player. I hear the “Master Skylark” has twice tried 
to escape. He tried to reach his cousin Will Shakespeare. 

Another Player. Carew is having him taught at the 
school — Cathedral School of Music and Acting — the pre- 
centor is wild over him. 

Master Heywood. He told me he was to go home soon. 
[Turning to the Master-Player, who had come in.] 
Carew, how can you have the heart? 

Master-Player. Come, Heywood, I have heard enough 
of this. Will you please to mind your own affairs ! 
[Places hand on poniard.] 

Heywood. How, quarrel with me, Carew? What ugly 
poison has been filtered through your wits. Quarrel with 
me, who has shared your every trouble, even — 

Master-Player. [Sadly.] Don’t, don’t, Tom. 

Heywood. Then how can you have the heart? 

Master-Player. [Bitterly.] ’T is not the heart, Tom, 
’t is the head. For, Tom, I cannot let him go. Have you 
not heard him sing? Why, Tom, it is worth a thousand 
pounds. How can I let him go ? 

Heywood. Oh, fie, for shame upon the man I took thee 
for! 

Master-Player. But, Tom, look it straightly in the face, 
— I am no such player as I was. This reckless life has done 


16 


MASTER SKYLARK 


the trick for me, — and there ’s Cicely too, and I shall be 
gone. Nay, no more of it, I cannot let him go. [All pass 
out.] 


EIGHTH SCENE 

Herald. Nick, and a few boys from the Cathedral 
School, sing before Queen Elizabeth. 

A Boy. Ho, Boy! Master Skylark! Nick, the news, 
the news. Have you heard the news ? [Other Boys, push- 
ing and talking.] We are going to court ! Hurrah ! Hur- 
rah! The Queen has sent for us. You are to sing. 

Nick. The Queen — has sent for us? 

All. Ay, sent for us to come to court! Hurrah for 
Queen Bess! [Run out shouting.] 

[Orchestra plays. Trumpets blow. Queen Elizabeth 
and Courtiers pass in. The Queen gives signal for 
the children to come forward.] 

Prompter. Rafe Fullerton. 

Rafe. It is a masque of Summertime and Spring, 
wherein both claim to be best loved. They have their say 
of wit and humor, and each her part of songs and dances 
suited to her time, the sprightly galliard and the nimble jig 
for Spring, the slow pavone, the stately peacock dance, for 
Summertime. And win who may, fair Summertime or 
merry Spring, the winner is but that beside our Queen! 
[Snapping his fingers.] God save Queen Bess! [Court 
laughs and claps.] 

Nick and Colley. [With a garland of flowers about 
them. They sing a Spring Song.] 


MASTER SKYLARK 


17 


Nick. [Sings Skylark Song.] 

Queen. It is a good song, there are no songs like the 
English songs — there is no spring like an English spring — 
there is no land like England, my England! I will speak 
with these lads. [Boys kneel before Queen.] 

[ Touching their shoulders.] Stand, dear lads, be lifted 
up by your own singing, as our hearts have been lifted by 
your song. And name me the price of that same song; 
’t was sweeter than the sweetest song we ever heard before. 
[ Touching Colley on the cheek.] Come, what will you 
have of me, fair one? 

Colley. That I may stay in the palace forever and sing 
for your Majesty. 

Queen. Now, that is right prettily asked. You shall in- 
deed stay for a singing-page in our household, — a voice and 
a face like yours are merry things upon a rainy Monday. 
And you, Master Lark, you that come up out of the field 
with a song like those the angels sing, what will you have, 
that you may sing in our choir and play on the lute for us ? 

Nick. That I may go to my mother. Let me go home. 

Queen. Surely, boy, this is an ill-considered speech, or 
else this home of yours must be a very famous place. 
[Court laughs , which makes Nick angry.] 

Nick. I would rather be there than here. 

Queen. You are more curt than courteous. Is it not 
good enough for you here ? 

Nick. I could not live in such a place. 

Queen. In such a place? These others find no fault 
with the life. 


18 


MASTER SKYLARK 


Nick. Then they be born to it, or they could not abide 
it, — no more than I; they would not fit. [Court laughs.] 
I could not sleep in the bed last night — it was a very good 
bed, your majesty — but the mattress puffed up like a cloud 
in a bag, and almost smothered me, and it was so hot that it 
gave me a fever. 

Queen. [Laughing.] Upon my word it is an odd sky- 
lark that cannot sleep in feathers. But there are acres to 
spare — you shall have your pick; come, we are ill used to 
begging people to be favored — you 11 stay? 

Nick. [Shakes his head.] 

Queen. It is a queer fancy makes a face at such pleasant 
dwelling! What is it sticks in your throat? [Taps with 
her fan.] You are bedazzled. Think twice. Consider 
well. Come, will you accept? [Nick shakes his head.] 

. . . [Angrily.] Go then. [Pulls Colley toward her.] 
Your comrade has more wit ! 

Nick. He has no mother. I should rather have my 
mother than his wit. 

Queen. [Softly.] You are no fool, or if you are I like 
the breed. It is a stubborn froward dog, but Hold-fast is 
his name. Ay, sirs, [looking at Court] Brag is a good dog, 
but Hold-fast is better. A lad who loves his mother thus 
makes a man who loves his native land, — and it ’s no bad 
streak in the blood. Master Skylark, you shall have your 
wish, to your home you shall go this very night. You may 
kiss my hand. 

[Music and horn while Queen and Court , followed by 
children , pass out.] 


MASTER SKYLARK 


19 


NINTH SCENE 

Herald. After the Master-Player is sent 
to prison for killing a man, Nick and 
Cicely come back to Stratford 
Town. 

Cicely. Nick, what is that? 

Nick. A bird. 

Cicely. A truly bird! 0, Nick, when will my father 
come ? It seems so long since those men came and took him 
away, and they would not let me go to him. And then you 
told me your cousin, Will Shakespeare, had seen you and 
promised to take you home. Then we ran away together, 
because that bad man, who hated my father, tried to take 
me ; and are we near Stratford, Nick ? 

Nick. Here is a chance to stay for the night, and to- 
morrow we shall be in Stratford. Good e’en, good folk. 
We need somewhat to eat and we want a place to sleep. 
The beds must be right clean — we have good appetites. If 
you can do for us, we will dance anything you may desire — 
the Queen’s own measure, the new Allemande. Which 
does it please you, mistresses ? 

One of the Women. La, Joan, he calls you mistress! 
Speak up. 

Nick. Or if you will, the little maid shall dance the 
cor ant o for you, straight from my Lord Chancellor’s danc- 
ing-master. 

Another Woman. Why hark ye — they do look clean- 
like! I ’ll do for them to-night, so now, dears, now let ’s 
see the Lord Chancellor’s tantrums. 


20 


MASTER SKYLARK 


Nick. ’T is not tantrums, goody, but a coranto. 

Woman. La! young master. 

Nick. Now, Cicely. [Cicely dances . Nick hums and 
snaps fingers for time.] 

Woman. La me! she does not even touch the ground. 
[Turning toward large stout girl.] Doll, why can’t you 
do that? [ Others laugh.] 

Doll. Tut, I have no wings in my feet. 

Cicely. [Running to Nick.] Was it all right? 

Nick. Right? It was better than you ever did. See, 
they are motioning to us to come in. 


TENTH SCENE 

Herald. Nick’s father refuses to receive 
him until Will Shakespeare intercedes. 

At last Nick gets back to his 
mother. 

Nick. See, there is the smoke from our house. It is my 
father, Cicely. [Laughs.] Father! Father! 

Mr. Attwood. Are you calling me? 

Nick. Why, father, do you not know me? ’T is I — ’t is 
Nick — come home! [Father turns back and walks away.] 
Why, father, what ! see, it is I, Nick, thy son ! 

Attwood. I do not know you, boy, you cannot enter 
here. 

Nick. Why, father, I ’ve come home. 


MASTER SKYLARK 


21 


Attwood. Have I not told yon twice I do not know you ! 
You have no part or parcel here. Get out of my sight. 

Nick. 0 father, father! 

Attwood. Do not “father” me more, I am no father to 
stage-playing vagabond rogues. And be gone, I say. Do 
you hear ? [Raises hand.] Must I e ’en thrust you forth ? 

Cicely. 0 , Nick, come away; the wicked, wicked man! 

Nick. It is my father, Cicely. 

Cicely. And you do hate my father so! Come let us 
go back, my father will not turn us out. Look, there is 
Susan Shakespeare! 

Susan Shakespeare. [Comes running up.] My father 
has been hunting you all the way from London Town ! 

Will Shakespeare. You young rogue, how you have 
forestalled us. Why, here we have been weeping for you as 
lost, strayed, or stolen, and all the time you were nestling in 
the bosom of your own sweet home. How is the beloved 
little mother? 

Nick. [Falteringly.] I have not seen my mother. 
Father will not let me in. 

Will Shakespeare. What? How? 

Nick. My father will not have me any more, sir — said I 
will never be his son again. Oh, Master Shakespeare, why 
did they steal me from home ? 

Will Shakespeare. Why this is a sorry tale ! Does the 
man know that you were stolen, that you were kept against 
your will, that you have trudged half-way from London for 
your mother’s sake? 


22 MASTER SKYLARK 

Nick. He will not let me tell him, sir. He would not 
listen to me ! 

Ben Jonson. The muckle shrew! Why, I ’ll have this 
out with him. By Jupiter, I ’ll read him reason with a ven- 
geance ! 

Will Shakespeare. Nay, Ben, cool thy blood, — a quar- 
rel will not serve. This tanner is a bitter-minded, heavy- 
handed man ; he ’d only throw you into a pickling-vat. The 
children must be thought about. 

One of the Men. Here ’s a player’s daughter who has 
no father, and a player whose father will not have him, or- 
phaned by fate and disinherited by folly, common stock to 
us all. Kind hearts are trumps, my honest Ben, make it a 
stock company, and let us all be in it. 

Another Man. Will, the lad would make a better 
“Rosalind” than Roger Prynne for your new play. 

Will Shakespeare. So he would, but before we put 
him into “As You Like It,” — suppose we ask him how he 
does like it. Now, Nick, you have heard what these gentle- 
men have said, what have you to say, my lad ? 

Nick. Why, sirs, you are all kind, very, very kind in- 
deed, sirs, but I — I — want my mother — oh, masters, I do 
want my mother! [One of the men turns abruptly and 
walks out ; he conies back with Nick’s father.] 

Will Shakespeare. Sing your last song, Ben. [Sits 
down and draws Nick to him.] 

Ben Jonson. [Sings “Drink to me only with thine 
eyes.”] 

Father. My son, my only son! Master Will Shake- 
speare, I ’ve come about a matter. 


MASTER SKYLARK 


23 


Will Shakespeare. Out with it, sir, there is much here 
to he said. Come, say what you have to say. 

Father. There ’s naught I can say, but that I be sorry 
and want my son ! Nick ! Nick ! I be wrung for you ! Will 
you not come home — just for your mother’s sake, if you 
will not come for mine ? 

Nick. [Joyfully.] Father! — but Cicely? 

Father. Bring the lass with you, Nick, we ’ll make out, 
lad, we ’ll make out. God will not let it all go wrong. Will 
you come, lad? 

Nick. 0 Father, Mother will be glad to have Cicely, 
won’t she? 

Will Shakespeare. [Carrying two bags.] I have a lit- 
tle story to tell you all. When Gaston Carew, lately Mas- 
ter-Player to the Lord High Admiral’s Company, was ar- 
raigned before my Lord Justice for the killing of that rascal, 
he sent for some — 

Ben Jonson. One you mean. 

Will Shakespeare. He left these two bags of gold, one 
marked for my only beloved daughter, Cicely Carew, with 
my love forever ; and the other marked : Nicholas Attwood, 
alias Master Skylark, whom I, Gaston Carew, master-player, 
stole away from Stratford Town, Anno Domini, 1596. — He 
also begged that Nicholas Attwood would forgive him. 

Nick. Why, that I shall, he was wondrous kind to me, 
except that he would not let me go. 

Will Shakespeare. These funds, Attwood, will keep 
you easy-minded. Now I need a tenant for this new place 


24 


MASTER SKYLARK 


of mine. You have always been spoken of as an honest 
man. What say you, Simon Attwood ? 

Attwood. Why, sir, why, sirs, all of you, I have been 
a hard man, and somewhat of a fool. Ay, sirs, a very 
fool ! God knows I ’m sorry for it from the bottom of my 
heart. [Buries head in arms.] 

Will Shakespeare. Nay, Simon Attwood, you have 
only been mistaken. Come, sit up and eat with us. Come, 
neighbor. 

Attwood. Nay, I shall go home. I thank you, sirs. 
You have been good to my boy. There are kind hearts in 
the world that I had not dreamed of. I shall go home to my 
wife. There be things to say before the boy comes home, 
and I have muckle need to tell her that I love her, — I have 
not done so these many years. 

Ben Jonson. Why, Neighbor Tanner, you are a right 
good fellow. A toast, all : ‘ 1 Here ’s to all kind hearts ! ’ ’ 

Will Shakespeare. Wherever they may be ! 

[Attwood goes off the stage and instantly returns with 

wife.] 

Attwood. Margaret. 

Mrs. Attwood. Simon, what is it? 

Attwood. Naught, Margaret; — but you have been a 
good wife; our lad is coming home; and I love you, — is it 
too late to tell you ? 

Mrs. Attwood. Nay, Simon, never too late to mend, — 
but our boy ? [Nick runs across the stage, followed by the 
men.] . . . [Holding him to her heart.] My boy! 


MASTER SKYLARK 


25 


Nick. Mother, Mother dear, I have been to London 
Town ; I have been to the palace ; and I have seen the Queen ; 
but mother, I have never been to the place where I should 
rather be than just where you are, Mother dear. [Tableau: 
Father puts an arm around Cicely.] 


















BARNABY LEE 


A Dramatization of John Bennett’s “ Barnaby Lee,” with Special 
Emphasis on the Parts Relating to the History of New 
York, by Anna M. Lutkenhaus, Director of the 
Dramatic Club of Public School 15, 

Manhattan. 


Copyright, 1900, 1901, 1902, by The Century Co. 


CHARACTERS AND COSTUMES 


Barnaby Le$, a young lad, son of an English, gentleman, kidnapped 
by the picaroons and brought to America as cabin boy on a 
pirate ship. Dressed in gaudily figured shirt, open at neck; 
loose bloomers; no stockings; sash of faded red silk trimmed 
with gold lace knotted around waist, a knife thrust through it; 
sandals on feet. 

Captain John King and his sailors. Loose bloomers ; knitted shirts, 
red coats; gaudy handkerchiefs round neck; turbans of bright 
colors. 

Schout Fiskaal. Very stout. Yellow rosettes and ribbons at 
knees of trousers; red coat. 

The clerk of Schout Fiskaal. Very thin. Dressed in black. 

Peteb Stuyvesant, Governor of New Amsterdam. Dressed in som- 
ber but rich clothes, black velvet coat, with slashed sleeves; 
broad white linen collar drooping upon his shoulders; upon his 
breast a golden brooch with coat of arms on it. Wooden leg. 

Gerrit Van Sweringen, the Man from Troublesome Comer. Very 
strong character. Dressed in same manner as Peter Stuyvesant; 
large beaver hat with long feather. 

Dorothy Van Sweringen, daughter of Gerrit Van Sweringen. 
Dressed in Dutch costume, wooden shoes. 

Richard Nicolls, sent by England to take possession of New Amster- 
dam. Dressed in red and green uniform. 

English sailors in red uniform. 

Men, women, and children of New Amsterdam in Dutch costume. 

Time: 1664'. Place: New Amsterdam, New York. 

Time for production: thirty-five minutes. 


BARNABY LEE 


FIRST SCENE 

[The pirate ship containing Captain John King and his 
men and cabin boy, Barnaby Lee, comes near the coast 
of New Amsterdam. Let the right side of the stage or 
assembly room represent the pirate ship , and the left 
side, New Amsterdam.] 

Barnaby Lee. [Standing at one end of ship, looking 
wistfully toward land.] There are trees there, and dirt 
and stones, and rocks with moss on them; ay, there are 
birds, robin-redbreasts and throstles, and little brown hens 
that lay white eggs. There are apples growing in orchards ; 
and strawberry-vines in the meadows; hives of bees in 
plaited straw standing under the hedge-rows! And there 
are cows — brown-eyed bossies, and girls to milk them. Oh, 
[turning away despairingly] I can hear them singing in the 
twilight! [The sailors have come nearer, one fingers his 
whip and looks at Barnaby.] 

Mate. Bear a hand, you good-for-nothing ! Lively 
now! Don’t sulk with me; I ’ll cat your back with [again 
touches whip]. 

Barnaby. If ever I come ashore again! Oh, if ever I 
come ashore again ! 

Sailor. What ’s the matter with you, always so wild 
for the shore. Too near shore for me ! 

29 


30 


BARNABY LEE 


Barnaby. Like enough, but it ’s been four years since 
I was ashore, and that ’s a long, long time. 

Sailor. [ Laughing , walks off.] Four years, four years. 

Barnaby. Oh, daddy, why did ye never come back? 
[Puts head down in hands.] 

Captain and Sailors. [Come on , singing.] 

Go tell the King of England, 

Go tell him this from me: 

If he reigns king of all the land, 

I will reign king at sea ! 

Captain John King. By glory, I will, or my name is 
not King ! 

Sailing Master. All right. I never said ye would n’t, 
but the Dutch have stopped many a ship ! 

King. Why, man, you talk as if you were afraid of a 
web-footed Dutchman ! But, what ’s up with that young 
fool? 

Mate. He has caught a sniff of the land and just as 
soon as he smells land he ’s as mad as a hatter. I made at 
him with the whip, but never a bit did he dodge. 

Sailing Master. He is not the kind to dodge. ’T is a 
quality runneth in the blood when men be thoroughbred. 

King. A blight upon his quality. I would I were shut 
of him. 

Mate. You kidnapped the boy to please his father’s 
enemy, why growl about it now ? 

King. Look here, I warned ye once to attend your own 
affairs. Do ye want that I shall warn ye twice ? 


BARNABY LEE 


31 


Mate. Oh, no, John, truly I don’t. 

Sailing Master. Oh, quits! Ye act like two old tom- 
cats : Fizz-zz ! miaouw ! What ’s the good of it ? The boy 
is a thoroughbred, that is all I know. He 11 leave — 

Sailor. [Yelling.] Ware shoal! Hard a-star-board. 
Jam her down ! Port ho ! The Dutchmen be in sight ! 

John King. We shall soon see whether I 11 pass or 
not! 

[Dutch people come in, running, from left side.] 


SECOND SCENE 

Encounter with the Dutch of New Amsterdam. 

Dutch Messenger. To the fort! Ho, burghers! To 
the fort, or pay the penalty ! 

Dirck Storm. [A Dutch boy.] Dorothy, Dorothy Van ! 
Come quickly forth. An English ship is putting us to 
shame ! 

Dorothy. An English ship? Oh, Dirck, will there be 
war? 

Dirck. Who knows ? As like as not ; or a battle, which 
is much the same. The English are an evil lot. Up 
quickly, that we may see. Heida ! see them row ! 

Dorothy. See, at the end of the boat, a little English 
boy! 

Dirck. Why do you pity him? I should like to shoot 
him! Our revenues are being defrauded by these thieves, 
carrying furs into Boston and Virginia ; sea robbers ! 


32 


BARNABY LEE 


King. Keep off, at your peril ! 

Harbor Master. Our business is with you, sir; why 
have ye not stricken your topsails? 

King. Stricken my topsails ? Who are you and what do 
you take me for ? 

Harbor Master. I take you for an insolent rogue, un- 
less you speedily mend both your language and your man- 
ners. 

King. Since when have you got a mortgage on the man- 
ners of the world? I will strike my tops for nobody but 
my own pleasure and King Charles. 

Harbor Master. In the name of the city of New Amster- 
dam, I bid ye strike your topsails ! 

King. Be hanged to the city of New Amsterdam! 
[Turning to sailors.] Ready! 

Harbor Master. Then thou art arrested in the name of 
the law. I will go on board. 

King. Keep off, you meddling fool! [A great shout 
from the people on shore.] 

A Dutchman. Make way there, make way there ! Make 
way for the Heer Officier! Make way for the Schout 
Fiskaal ! 

Schout Fiskaal. [Immensely fat , followed by his clerk , 
a little lean man in black, tries to walk in very pompously, 
but trips and falls headlong.] Haw, haw. [Shouts of 
laughter from ship and people on coast.] 

Sailing Master. [Laughing.] Haw! What the mur- 
rain is this thing? Can anybody tell? Said naught but 


BARNABY LEE 


33 


“Hah!” like a horse. It hath swallowed its tongue, and 
swelleth itself with words. If some kind friend don’t tap 
it soon, ’t will surely burst ! 

Schout. Insolent and ignorant rogue, thou knowest not 
who I am. I am the hangman and the gallows; I am the 
counsel and the judgment ; I am the established law and the 
execution thereof ; I am the Schout Fiskaal ! 

Sailing Master. I am much beholden to you. I was 
thinking ye might be Goliath of Gath !. 

Schout. Beware! I am not to be trifled with. I am 
the sheriff of the city. 

King. An a boddle of it! What are your sheriff and 
city to me, and what does this arresting mean ? 

Schout. Who art thou ? Whence art thou come ? 
Whither art thou going, and what is thy business ? 

King. My name is Acorn, and I grew upon an oak-tree. 
I come from the place I left last; I go wherever I choose. 
My business is peddling peasecods and trucking for sassa- 
fras. 

Schout. Peddling and trucking? Aha! Thou wilt 
show me your commission. 

King. Show ye my commission? Pah! a murrain on 
commissions ! 

Schout. Where is your trading-license? 

King. I have no trading-license. 

Schout. Thou hast lived in New Netherland a year and 
forty days? Hast kept both fire and candle-light, as the 


34 


BARNABY LEE 


custom law requireth? Is thy daughter married in this 
city? Doth thy wife reside here? 

King. What rigmarole is this ? Thou art madder than 
the maddest hatter ! 

Schout. It is the law ! Thou may not embark on trade ! 

King. [Leaning forward.] I am going up this river to 
trade, if it makes an eternal bonfire of all the laws and 
candles on the coast. These lands belong to England; 
what are ye doing on them anyway? If we ever put our 
feet off this boat we would make ye sick enough of us ! 

Sailors. Aye, Captain, aye. 

Schout. [Very excited.] Read, Jacobus, read them my 
commission ! 

King. [Laughing derisively.] Put this in your pipe 
and smoke it! My name is King, just plain John King, 
with neither haft nor handle. My vessel is named the 
Bagged Staff, and we sail from Maryland. We are going 
up this river to trade with the Iroquois. If ye be bent on 
stopping us, come on and stop ! That ’s all I have to say. 
Push off there, Gideon ! [Sailors go out.] 

Schout Fiskaal. Oh, what ’s to do? oh, what to do? 
Aha! I have it. A keg of schnapps! Up with the flag! 
Shoot a gun ! Salute the flag ! 

Master Gunner. Salute the flag ? Shoot a gun ? If I 
am to fire at all — my soul ! bid me fire upon those rogues ! 

Schout. I dare not! We are at peace with England. 
[Gunner turns away in disgust.] 

Schout. Come on, men. [Waving his sword and shout- 


BARNABY LEE 


35 


ing.] Down with the insolent English, down with them 
all! Hurrah! Hurrah! [ Goes out with part of crowd 
following.] 

Dorothy. Shame on him, to try to play the master when 
he cannot even play the man ! If my father were here he 
would make them laugh on the other side of their mouths ! 

Dirck. How ? It is against the law to shoot. 

Dorothy. Then fie on the law! When the law doth 
not suit my father, he breaks it until it does, or until they 
make him a new one that will better serve the turn. 

Dirck. If he breaks the laws of New Amsterdam, we 
shall hang him like a common thief upon the gallows-tree. 

Dorothy. [Laughing scornfully.'] As ye have hanged 
these Englishmen? The hawks will nest in the pigeon- 
house when ye have hanged my father ! [Both pass out.] 

[As a man sent by Schout Fiskaal is hanging up a poster 
Van Sweringen comes in.] 

Van Sweringen. [Stepping up and reading.] “Know 
ye all men by these presents: it is hereby straitly charged 
upon all burghers that henceforth none shall suffer the 
English to go up the river to trade with the Savages, nay, 
nor in any wise permit their passage of the provided limits. ’ ’ 
[Tearing down the sign.] The law? Bah! [Tears poster 
in pieces and throws them on ground.] Quick, to the boats ! 
[Turning to the men who had not followed Schout Fiskaal.] 
Up the river after these picaroons, seize their goods and 
turn their vessels adrift. Our laws may be weak as paper ; 
— our hearts and arms are strong. To the boats, lads! 
[All go out.] 


36 


BARNABY LEE 


THIRD SCENE 

[Street in New Amsterdam and dwelling of Peter Stuy- 
vesant. A crowd of men shouting , Dirck Storm 
leading .] 

Crowd. Dirck Storm hath taken a picaroon! Go tell 
the Schout Fiskaal! 

Schout. Hah ! Where is the rogue ? 

A Man. Here, I have him. 

Schout. Aha, Master Villain! where art thou now? 
[Rubbing his eyes.] Ah, so small as that? [ Looking 
down at Barnaby.] He must be very wicked ; hold fast to 
him ; he hath an ugly knife. Where are the others ? 

Captain of the Watch. Their goods taken from them 
and cast adrift on the sea. This boy was found in the 
marshes. What shall I do with him, mynheer? 

Schout. Lock him up in the Stad Huis jail. 

Master. Impossible, mynheer. 

Schout. And why is it impossible? 

Master. The jail is full of cheeses. 

Schout. [Puffing out his cheeks.] What sort of busi- 
ness is this, that the jail is full of cheeses? 

Master. The very best sort of business; cheeses bring 
good rents, mynheer, but prisoners cost the city moneys. 

Schout. Ach so! I had not thought of that. Well, 
then, take him and lock him up in the guardroom at the 
fort. 


BARNABY LEE 


37 


Master. It is full of pickle-tubs. 

Schout. A pest on it! Is the world a warehouse for 
green cheese and pickle-tubs? "Well, lock him up, lock him 
in the windmill ; there is room for a dozen. [As he speaks 
Barnaby falls down in a faint.] 

Mrs. Van Sweringen. [Running up with Dorothy.] 
Joris, what means this din? Here, take up the lad; doth 
one picaroon justify this outroar? A starving boy in the 
windmill! You who get six meals a day, talking of tak- 
ing him there. Stand back! Open the gate there. Peter 
Stuyvesant will be back here to-morrow and I shall be re- 
sponsible for the boy until then. Stand back! [All pass 
out.] 


FOURTH SCENE 

[Peter Stuyvesant seated at his desk. Reading a 
letter.] 

Peter Stuyvesant. [Bringing fist down.] Had I thee 
here, I would hang thee as high as Haman! Appeal to 
Holland? Thou shouldst appeal with thine head upon a 
tray ! [Putting his head on his hands.] I am playing my 
cards alone, like a fool at a king’s court. I cannot see the 
way. I need this man — will he do what I wish ? 

Van Ruyter. [Coming in.] Your Excellency, most 
gracious and valorous — 

Peter Stuyvesant. Tssst! don’t waste the time; take 
all that for granted, and come to the point. 

Van Ruyter. Gerrit Van Sweringen has come. 

Stuyvesant. Let him enter alone. [Van Ruyter goes 


38 


BARNABY LEE 


out and Van Sweringen comes in. Stuyvesant and Van 
Sweringen stand, looking haughtily at each other.] 

Stuyvesant. Mynheer Gerrit Yan Sweringen, Member 
of the South River Colony Council, and Sheriff of New 
Amstel. [ Bowing slightly.] 

Van Sweringen. Mynheer Peter Stuyvesant, Your Ex- 
cellency, Director for the High and Mighty West India 
Trading Company, Governor, of New Netherland and of the 
Islands of the Sea, the Esteemed, the Worthy, the Prudent, 
also the Most Severe. [Bowing deeply.] Your Excel- 
lency, ye have sent for me. I greatly wonder why. 

Stuyvesant. Because I have need of thee, not, you may 
believe, because it hath pleased me. 

Van Sweringen. [Smiling.] Your need doth not ap- 
pear to have dropped sweet oil and honey on your tongue. 

Stuyvesant. [Gesture of command.] Mynheer, pro- 
voke me no more! I have had provocation enough from 
thee. I have great need of tranquil speech, but how can I 
be tranquil, if thou dost irritate me? Remember mine 
office, and honor it. I have need of speech with thee ; pray 
thee, be seated. [Van Sweringen seats himself, placing 
his sword across his knee.] Mynheer, I shall tell thee why 
I sent for thee to-night. It was not from choice — thou 
mayst be sure of that — but from necessity. [He limps over 
and bolts the doors.] We are fallen in great difficulty, and 
threatening misfortunes gather over us like a storm. 
[Takes out a parchment roll about a yard long, and unrolls 
it.] Harken, mynheer, and I shall quickly explain. 
[Turns the parchment so as to show that it is a map.] See : 
it is an excellent map. Here stand we in New Amsterdam, 
on Manhattan Island. Here is the river, here is the sea, 


BARNABY LEE 


39 


and here is the shore of the mainland. Onr limits ran from 
here to here. The English colonies hem as in upon both 
north and south. Mynheer, dost love an Englishman ? 

Van Sweringen. I know some Englishmen, Your Ex- 
cellency, whom I think I do not hate. 

Stuyvesant. [Bitterly.] Well, I shall give thee ample 
cause to hate them. They mean to take these lands from 
us before the year is out. Dost smile ? Let this abate thy 
smiling. [ Hands him a letter .] 

Van Sweringen. [Jumping up as he reads.] Your 
Excellency, they dare not ; this thing is impossible ! 

Stuyvesant. Call no deed impossible until an English- 
man hath tried it and failed to make it good. 

Van Sweringen. How can we thwart this hideous piece 
of treachery ? Oh, they have lied to me. Why, this means 
war ! My soul ! if they want war, let us wage them war — 
with a vengeance! 

Stuyvesant. With what? We have nothing, no pow- 
der, no men. We are only a company’s trading post. They 
will snap their fingers and let us go like a played-out tune. 
We are rich in possibility, but Guinea and the Indies have 
set our great Dutch traders mad. They have forgotten us ; 
they can dream of nothing but the Philippines and the East ; 
the smell of spice and nutmegs seems to have stolen away 
their reason. Unless we can stand for ourselves, and thwart 
our enemies alone, we shall be turned out of house and 
home, like beggars in the street. 

Van Sweringen. When they have turned me out of my 
home they shall have paid me a price for it ! I have ven- 
tured all that I have, and I shall stand to it. 


40 


BARNABY LEE 


Stuyvesant. Then serve me, and we shall stand to- 
gether. There are times when two men, if they will stand 
together, may make a perilous vantage good against a thou- 
sand. 

Van Sweringen. [Scowling.] I would rather stand 
alone. I love thee not. 

Stuyvesant. [Snapping his fingers.] This for thy 
love. Dost think I sent for thee because I felt affectionate ? 
I like thee not, nor thy mad ways. I am not asking for my- 
self, but for the colony. New Netherland hath need of thee ; 
I am only her voice. 

Van Sweringen. [Placing his sword on table with a 
ringing sound.] There is my answer to the colony. I will 
serve her while I have a drop of blood in my veins. What 
is it, Your Excellency, that ye would have me do? Speak 
quick, for the hour is growing late. 

Stuyvesant. I would have thee go on an embassy to 
Maryland. Lord Baltimore hath renewed his claim to our 
southern borderland. Unless we hold him off until his 
title is proved void, the South River country is lost. Attend 
me on the map. [Barnaby, who is sleeping in the little 
press closet , breathes heavily.] 

Van Sweringen. Your Excellency, what was that? 

Stuyvesant. What was what? 

Van Sweringen. I thought I heard somebody breathe. 

Stuyvesant. I must have sighed. There is nobody 
stirring in the house but our two selves. Our doubts make 
rabbits of us. 

Van Sweringen. Your Excellency, I neither doubt nor 


BARNABY LEE 


41 


fear. I await the event. [The two bend over the map and 
talk very low.] 

Watchman. [Without.] Four o’clock and all is well. 

Stuyvesant. Hast followed me, mynheer? 

Van Sweringen. Like a spaniel at thine heels. 

Stuyvesant. Now comes the sticking-point. We dare 
not seem to come into Maryland on state business. We are 
only a trader’s colony ; with no patent to this land from the 
Dutch States General. I have begged for a patent time 
and time again. We must have some plausible excuse to 
cover our real design. This is why I sent for thee. I need 
a man who can reason. And now, Mynheer Van Sweringen, 
what reason can we offer ? 

Van Sweringen. A reason at demand ? Nay, Your Ex- 
cellency, I know none. Our treaties with the savages stand, 
the red tribes are at peace, the commission hath settled the 
question upon the ships that were seized on false charges, 
nay, Your Excellency, I can think of no reason. But our 
need will find us a reason. 

Stuyvesant. Then go, mynheer, and Providence go with 
thee. I leave the reason and the rest with thee. Yet while 
thou art gone I shall not sit here as if I were sick with palsy. 
An English seafaring man, I hear, has been taken in the 
marshes. They say that he is a picaroon. The name mat- 
ters little. These rascals are but the shadow of greater 
rogues behind them. I shall make an example of this one ; 
he hath broken the laws of New Netherland, and I ’ll hang 
him. 

Barnaby. [Shouting wildly.] Oh, no, no, no ! 


42 


BARNABY LEE 


Van Sweringen. We are betrayed! There is a spy! 
[Catching up sword and running across the room. Stuy- 
vesant followed.] Out, thou felon, cowardly spy. Out! 
[Barnaby Lee struggling in the covers , creeps out.] Quick, 
who art thou? 

Stuyvesant. Speak ! Quick ! 

Barnaby. [Gasping.] Oh, masters, I be the picaroon! 

Van Sweringen. Light of my soul! The picaroon. 
[Sitting down laughing heartily. Stuyvesant sits down 
also, and laughs.] 

Stuyvesant. [Taking Barnaby by the arm and draw- 
ing him toward him.] A pirate thou? and a picaroon? 

Barnaby. You will not hang me, master! You surely 
cannot mean it ? 

Stuyvesant. Wh^t dost take us for? The Spanish In- 
quisition? Nay; we are not yet fallen so low as to hang 
half-grown children. But who art thou, boy? and what 
art doing here in the press-bed in my wall ? 

Barnaby. I was servant to Captain John King, and 
cabin-boy on the Bagged Staff. My father was a gentleman 
in England, and oh, he must be dead, for some one put me 
on board a lawless Maryland coasting-ship four years — 

Van Sweringen. [Jumping up.] Eureka! I have 
found it ! Eureka ! The right shall yet prevail ! The God 
of Battles is with us ! 

Stuyvesant. Aye, doubtless, but where hath He shown 
thee a sign ? 

Van Sweringen. There. [Pointing at Barnaby.] 


BARNABY LEE 


43 


Dost not see my idea? Why, Yonr Excellency, what saith 
the law? “If any hide or harbor another’s serving man, 
without his master’s acquiescence, or detain the same in any 
wise, or carry him away, or suffer him to lurk about, it is a 
felony. And if any apprentice from the English colonies 
flieth from them into New Netherland, the authorities shall 
take him at their gates, and shall send him back to the place 
whence he hath fled, by the first vessel sailing thither from 
their ports.” There! Dost catch my inspiration? The 
boy — a cabin boy a fugitive — vessel from which he fled 
claimed port in Maryland — there is sufficient reason for all 
the missions ye may wish to send to Lord Baltimore’s court. 
Is it plain ? 

Stuyvesant. It is indeed a sign. We are not yet for- 
saken. When a man’s friends fail him utterly, God sendeth 
his enemy to serve him. He first sent thee to me, mynheer ; 
and now, to us, this boy. The Lord is a stronghold in which 
we shall prevail! 

Barnaby. Are ye going to send me back ? Oh, masters, 
ye cannot mean it ; ye truly cannot mean it ! 

Stuyvesant. Tut, tut ! Do not make such a to-do, boy. 

Barnaby. [Turning to Van Sweringen.] Ye cannot 
mean to send me back. Oh, master, I would rather be 
hanged than go back to the Bagged Staff. Master, I am no 
apprentice, but a gentleman’s son. My father was a captain 
with the king ; oh, master, master, the world is a lonely place 
when ye be all that is left. 

Van Sweringen. [Pacing the floor with troubled look.] 
Ach, prut! 

Barnaby. I will serve ye truly, if only you will not 


44 


BARNABY LEE 


send me back. The sea is a horrible place ; one gets so sick 
for shore. I can shoot a gun, and fence with sword and 
dagger ; I can read a book and ride a horse. I can cook a 
meal fairly and serve it. And I will serve ye forever until 
I die if only ye will not send me back. Ye cannot send me 
back! 

Stuyvesant. [Shaking his head at Van Sweringen.] 
Well? 

Van Sweringen. Look not at me, Your Excellency. 
There is my plan. I have offered it. I wash my hands of 
the matter. 

Stuyvesant. But, mynheer, if ye love me — 

Van Sweringen. I have told you I do not love you. 
The matter rests with you. I have shown you a way from 
your quandary. 

Stuyvesant. [Sadly.] And put' me into another. But 
our need is past all question, and the need of many must 
prevail ; I have nothing else to serve the turn. Our rights 
may seem this lad’s wrongs, and unrighteous altogether, 
but the single right must be sacrificed to the greater neces- 
sities of many. We must make the best of it. [Barnabv 
turns away heartbroken. All pass out.] 


FIFTH SCENE 

[The little Dutch children dancing a Dutch dance in the 
road. Van Sweringen and Barnaby Lee return to 
New Amsterdam. Peter Stuyvesant meets them and 
he and Van Sweringen step to one side. A servant 
girl standing watching the children turns to Barnaby.] 


BARNABY LEE 


45 


Molly (servant girl). Bless my stars and garters, lad, 
but you ’re a pretty boy ! Dear soul, those two blue eyes 
o’ thine do be all England. I have not seen the like since 
I left England, and that ’s nigh seven year agone. God 
bless thy pretty face ! Wilt not buss us, lad, for old Eng- 
land ’s sake? [She leans over and kisses him.] 

Barnaby. Get out ! I do not like this bussing. 

Molly. [ Laughing softly.] Some folk does, and some 
folk don’t. It all depends on how ye take it. A little 
taken sensible, doth sweeten life no end. Lad, it is a gift 
of nater, and most folk come to it in time. One’s heart 
grows old without it. [Clapping him on the shoulder.] 
Come to Molly Hawley, if ye wish anything, bless thine 
heart, shalt have it for that sweet English face of thine! 
[Buns out after children. Barnaby follows.] 

Peter Stuyvesant. The lad back ? [Impatiently strik- 
ing ground with cane.] Well, sir? Well, sir? You have 
fetched the lad back ? 

Van Sweringen. There was no record of the ship in 
Maryland. Charles Calvert has promised that there will 
be no invasion. The mission is accomplished. We had 
some trouble in Maryland and Barnaby Lee saved my life ; 
in the future he shall be as my son. [ Stuyvesant ’s face 
shows relief when he hears the mission is accomplished.] 

Man. [Running up.] The savages have risen! The 
Mohechans are up beyond Claverack, and are butchering 
the people! 

Stuyvesant. Well, come; well, come, mynheer; we need 
thee again. Joseph, bring my jacket and breastpiece; find 
me a strap for my steel cap ; do not be slow. [All go out.] 


46 


BARNABY LEE 


SIXTH SCENE 

[Men of New Amsterdam talking in an excited manner.] 

First Man. King Charles hath granted the Duke of 
York the coast and all its islands, from Connecticut to 
Maryland ! 

Second Man. It is not his to grant. 

Third Man. He will make it his if he can. I tell ye, 
the English are determined to have these lands, by hook or 
crook, fair means or foul. 

First Man. Charles Calvert promised Van Sweringen 
that there would be no invasion ! 

Second Man. Aye, indeed; but Charles Stuart, the 
King of England, is greater than Charles Calvert, the Gov- 
ernor of Maryland. 

Fourth Man. Where is ‘ ‘ King Peter ’ ’ ? 

Second Man. At Fort Orange. They have sent for 
him. Last night one of our ships was seized by the British 
ship. 

Third Man. Stuyvesant returned this morning and sent 
a commission to Colonel Nicolls, to demand the meaning of 
this. He replied that he was sent by King Charles and 
James, Duke of York, to reduce the port to the English 
crown and he would not leave until Fort Amsterdam sur- 
rendered. Well, we have our families to think about, and 
I, for one, am in favor of surrendering. 

First Man. Here comes Peter Stuyvesant now. [From 
all sides come the Dutch people.] 


BARNABY LEE 


47 


A Burgomeister. [To Stuyvesant.] We have a right 
to know what terms are offered us in surrender. It is our 
lives and properties which will be lost in case of assault, and 
ye have no right to withhold the terms that are offered to 
our city. 

Second Burgomeister. We would willingly risk our 
lives, Your Excellency, if there were the slightest hope of 
success, but desperately to rush a handful of half-armed 
citizens and untrained serving-men upon the pikes of three 
brigades would be sheer madness. We came here to settle, 
to build, to trade, to profit, and to thrive, and not to fight 
English. 

Stuyvesant. Would ye turn your very coats for profits, 
are ye all stark dead to honor? Shame on you, shame! 
Cowards ! 

A Man. [Running up.] They are coming! They are 
coming ! The French are coming with them to tear the city 
to pieces and slaughter us all. 

First Voice. Surrender. We want no war! 

Stuyvesant. I would rather die! 

Second Voice. To resist is death. Give us the English 
terms ! 

Third Voice. We lose our property and everything if 
the city falls ; give us the English terms ! 

[A long murmur coming from all the women , “Surren- 
der!”] 

A Gunner. [Running up.] Your Excellency, get us 
some powder. This will not burn. 

The Crowd. Surrender! 


48 BARNABY LEE 

Stuyvesant. I begged them for powder! Fools! 

Another Man. Your Excellency, there is no grain to 
grind ! We shall be starved like cats in a garret. 

Crowd. Surrender ! 

StuyYesant. I would rather be carried out dead ! 

Crowd. Then give us the terms, or we will surrender 
anyway ! 

Stuyvesant. If I surrender this city, wherein am I 
justified ? 

Crowd. Will ye be justified in our ruin? Surrender, 
surrender ! 

Stuyvesant. I tell you I am master here and I shall 
fight to the end ! 

A Man. Oh, mynheer, remember the women and the 
children ! Their lives lie in the hollow of thine hand, and 
on the Judgment Day thou shalt answer for what thou hast 
done with them here. Remember the women and the chil- 
dren! 

Stuyvesant. The women and the children? 

Man. Look at them, look ! 

Crowd. Surrender ! 

Stuyvesant. Ach, Gott, Thy will, not mine be done! 
[Turns and walks slowly out.] 

SEVENTH SCENE 

[ English , headed by Colonel Richard Nicolls, walk 
through the streets of New York. A crowd of Dutch 


BARNABY LEE 


49 


people, including Dorothy, Van Sweringen, Dirck 
Storm, stand watching them.] 

Dorothy. [ Excitedly , putting her hand out to 
Barnaby.] Barnaby, Barnaby: here come the English! 

Barnaby. [Stepping out.] Long live King Charles! 
Long live King Charles ! 

Colonel Nicolls. [Turning.] Hey! What ’s this? 

Captain Lee. [Stepping suddenly from the side of 
Colonel Nicolls.] Barnaby, my son, Barnaby! 

Barnaby. Oh, Daddy, daddy, daddy! [Captain Lee 
clasps Barnaby in his arms ; Colonel Nicolls claps his 
hands twice in surprise and pleasure ; Dorothy clasps her 
hands and steps a little forward.] 


the end 




THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 

A Dramatization by the Dramatic Club of Public School 15, Man- 
hattan. Author of book, Lewis Carroll. 


CHARACTERS 


Alice. Copy picture in all editions of the book. (Hair flying, lit- 
tle apron, white stockings, black slippers.) 

Reader of Prologue 

White King. White bloomers, white coat, crown. 

White Queen. Very narrow white slip with the hem at bottom 
wired to make it stand out, crown. 

Flowers are dressed in crepe paper dresses and caps 
to represent flower. 

Red Queen. Narrow red slip with hem at bottom wired, crown. 

Red King. Red bloomers, red coat, crown. 

Tweedledee 'I Sweaters with pillows under them, bloomers, long 

Tweedledum j tailed coats, tiny caps. 

Frog. Yellow and green costume, similar to a small child’s winter 
night drawers; the back made of green chintz, the front of 
yellow chintz. A hood of green, stitched to false face, repre- 
senting a frog. 

Black toy kitten. 

Time for production: thirty-five minutes 


JL JL vJ JUxJlj X 

Rose 

Daisies 

Violet 

T . A TJTTQUTTD 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


PROLOGUE 

[Alice is sitting in a big armchair , fondling her 
black cat, while prologue is recited.] 

Child of the pure unclouded brow 
And dreaming eyes of wonder! 

Though time be fleet, and I and thou 
Are half a life asunder, 

Thy loving smile will surely hail 
The love-gift of a fairy-tale. 

I have not seen thy sunny face, 

Nor heard thy silver laughter ; 

No thought of me shall find a place 
In thy young life ’s hereafter — 

Enough that now thou wilt not fail 
To listen to my fairy-tale. 

Come, hearken then, ere voice of dread, 
With bitter tidings laden, 

Shall summon to unwelcome bed 
A melancholy maiden ! 

We are but older children, dear, 

Who fret to find our bedtime near. 

Without, the frost, the blinding snow, 

The storm- wind’s moody madness — 

53 


54 : 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


Within, the firelight’s ruddy glow, 

And childhood’s nest of gladness. 

The magic words shall hold thee fast : 

Thou shalt not heed the raving blast. 

And though the shadow of a sigh 
May tremble through the story, 

For “happy summer days” gone by, 

And vanish’d summer glory — 

It shall not touch, with breath of bale, 

The pleasance of our fairy-tale. 

FIRST SCENE 

Alice. [Holding up kitten .] Oh, you wicked, wicked 
little thing ! Really, Dinah ought to have taught you better 
manners ! Do you know what to-morrow is, Kitty ? You ’d 
have guessed if you ’d been up in the window with me — 
only Dinah was making you tidy, so you could n’t. Do you 
know, I was so angry, Kitty, when I saw all the mischief 
you had been doing, I was very nearly opening the window, 
and putting you out into the snow! And you ’d have de- 
served it, you little mischievous darling! [Gives kitten a 
hug.] What have you got to say for yourself? Now don’t 
interrupt me ! Iam going to tell you all your faults. You 
squeaked twice while Dinah was washing your face this 
morning. Now you can’t deny it, Kitty; I heard you! 
What ’s that you say? [Pretending that the kitten was 
speaking.] Her paw went into your eye? Well, that ’s 
your fault, for keeping your eyes open — if you ’d shut them 
tight up, it would n’t have happened. Now don’t make any 
more excuses, but listen ! Number two ; you pulled Snow- 
drop away by the tail just as I had put down the saucer of 
milk before her ! What, you were thirsty, were you ? How 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


55 


do you know she wasn’t thirsty too? Now for number 
three; you unwound every hit of worsted while I wasn’t 
looking ! That ’s three faults, Kitty, and you ’ve not been 
punished for any of them yet. You know I ’m saving up 
all your punishments for Wednesday week — suppose they 
had saved up all my punishments! What would they do 
at the end of a year ? I should be sent to prison, I suppose, 
when the day came. Or — let me see — suppose each punish- 
ment was to be going without a dinner; then, when the 
miserable day came, I should have to go without fifty dinners 
at once! Well, I shouldn’t mind that much! I’d far 
rather go without them than eat them! [Alice takes kit - 
ten over to mirror and holds it up to look in. Then comes 
hack to armchair , putting head hack , sleepily.'] If you ’re 
not good directly, I ’ll put you through into Looking-glass 
House. How would you like that? Now, if you ’ll only 
attend, Kitty, and not talk so much, I shall tell you all my 
ideas about Looking-glass House. First, there ’s the room 
you can see through the glass — that ’s just the same as our 
drawing-room, only the things go the other way. I can 
see all of it when I get upon a chair. Kitty, dear, let ’s pre- 
tend — [falls asleep.] 

[A Lullaby, sung hy a girl , wakens Alice into Looking- 
glass Land. A beautiful and suitable one is found in Mrs. 
Burton Harrison’s dramatization of “ Alice in Wonder- 
land” called “Alice Asleep.” The last line can he adapted 
to “Alice, awake in Looking-glass Land.”] 

SECOND SCENE 

[White King and White Queen rush in as Alice 
awakes in Looking-glass Land.] 

White Queen. It is the voice of my child ! My precious 


56 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


Lily! My imperial kitten! [Knocks over White King.] 

White King. Imperial fiddlestick! [Very much an- 
noyed. , Alice rushes to pick him up. King is sitting on 
the floor making funny faces.] 

Alice. Oh! please don’t make such faces, my dear! 
You make me laugh so that I can hardly hold you! And 
don’t keep your mouth so wide open ! [She picks up White 
King, who immediately tumbles again.] 

White King. [Turning to White Queen.] I assure 
you, my dear, I turned cold to the very ends of my whiskers ! 

White Queen. You haven’t any whiskers. 

White King. The horror of that moment I shall never, 
never forget! 

White Queen. You will, though, if you don’t make a 
memorandum of it. 

[White King instantly commences writing in a book. 

Alice takes up book as he puts it down.] 

Alice. Why, it ’s a Looking-glass book, of course ! And, 
if I hold it up to a glass, the words will all go the right way 
again. [Recites poem.] 

JABBERWOCKY 

’T was brillig, and the slithy toves 

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe : 

All mimsy were the borogoves, 

And the mome raths outgrabe. 

“ Beware the Jabberwock, my son! 

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch ! 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


57 


Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun 
The frumious Bandersnatch ! ’ ’ 

He took his vorpal sword in hand : 

Long time the manxome foe he sought — 

So rested he by the Tumtum tree, 

And stood awhile in thought. 

And as in uffish thought he stood, 

The jabber wock, with eyes of flame, 

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, 

And burbled as it came! 

One, two ! One, two ! And through and through 
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack ! 

He left it dead, and with its head 
He went galumphing back. 

‘‘And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? 

Come to my arms, my beamish boy ! 

0 frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! ,, 

He chortled in his joy. 

’T was brillig, and the slithy toves 
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; 

All mimsy were the borogoves, 

And the mome raths outgrabe. 

Alice. It seems very pretty, but it ’s rather hard to un- 
derstand ! Somehow it seems to fill my head with ideas — 
only I don ’t exactly know what they are ! However, some- 
body killed something : that ’s clear, at any rate — But oh ! 
[jumping up] if I don’t make haste I shall have to go back 


58 


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through the Looking-glass, before I ’ve seen what the rest 
of the house is like ! Let ’s have a look at the garden first. 
[Runs out.] 


THIRD SCENE 
The Flower Scene 

[Flowers come in and arrange themselves. About 
twelve Daisies stand close together.] 

Alice. [Coming in at side.] I should see the garden 
far better, if I could get to the top of that hill : and here ’s 
a path that leads straight to it — at least ; no, it does n ’t do 
that — [walking several steps, and looking] but I suppose it 
will at last. But how curiously it twists! It ’s more like 
a corkscrew than a path ! Well, this turn goes to the hill, 
I suppose — no, it doesn’t. This goes straight back to the 
house! Well then, I ’ll try it the other way. [Comes up 
to the flowers.] Oh, Tiger-lily, I wish you could talk! 

Tiger-lily. We can talk when there ’s anybody worth 
talking to. 

Alice. [In astonished whisper.] Can all the flowers 
talk? 

Tiger-lily. As well as you can, and a great deal louder. 

Rose. It isn’t manners for us to begin, you know, and 
I really was wondering when you ’d speak ! Said I to my- 
self, “Her face has some sense in it, though it ’s not a 
clever one ! ’ ’ Still you ’re the right color, and that goes a 
long way. 

Tiger-lily. I don’t care about the color; if only her 
petals curled up a little more, she ’d be all right. 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


59 


Alice. [Showing that she did not like to he criticised .] 
Are n’t you sometimes frightened at being planted out here, 
with nobody to take care of you? 

Rose. There ’s the tree in the middle, what else is it 
good for ? 

Alice. What could it do, if any danger comes ? 

Rose. It could bark. 

First Daisy. It says ‘ ‘ Bough- wough ! ’ ’ That ’s why 
its branches are called boughs. 

Second Daisy. Did n’t you know that ? 

Daisies. [Shouting.] B'ough- wough ! bough-wough! 

bough-wough ! 

Tiger-lily. [Very excited.] Silence, every one of you! 
They know I can’t get at them [turning to Alice], or they 
wouldn’t dare to do it. 

Alice. [Soothingly.] Never mind. [Stooping down to 
the daisies.] If you don’t hold your tongues, I ’ll pick you. 

Tiger-lily. That ’s right. The daisies are worst of all. 
When one speaks, they all begin together, and it ’s enough 
to make one wither to hear the way they go on. See, they 
are beginning to dance ! 

[Daisies dance “The Flower Dance.”] 

Alice. How is it that you can all talk so nicely? I ’ve 
been in many gardens before, but none of the flowers could 
talk. 

Tiger-lily. Put your hand down and feel the ground. 
Then you ’ll know why. 


60 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


Alice. It ’s very hard, but I don’t see what that has to 
do with it. 

Tiger-lily. In most gardens they make the beds too 
soft, so that the flowers are always asleep. 

Alice. I never thought of that before. 

Rose. It ’s my opinion that you never think at all. 

Violet. [ Speaking so suddenly that Alice jumped.] 
I never saw anybody that looked stupider. 

Tiger-lily. Hold your tongue! As if you ever saw 
anybody ! You keep your head under the leaves, and snore 
away there, till you know no more what ’s going on in the 
world, than if you were a bud. 

Alice. Are there any more people in the garden besides 
me? 

Rose. There ’s one other flower in the garden that can 
move about like you. She ’s more bushy than you are. 

Alice. Is she like me? 

Rose. Well, she has the same awkward shape as you, 
but she ’s redder — and her petals are shorter, I think. 

Tiger-lily. They ’re done up close, like a dahlia, not 
tumbled about, like yours. 

Rose. But that ’s not your fault; you ’re beginning to 
fade, you know, and then one can’t help one’s petals get- 
ting a little untidy. 

Alice. Does she ever come out here ? 

Rose. I daresay you ’ll see her soon. She ’s one of the 
kind that has nine spikes, you know. 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


61 


Alice. Where does she wear them ? 

Rose. Why, all around her head, of course. I was won- 
dering you had n’t some, too. I thought it was the regular 
rule. 

Larkspur. She ’s coming ! I hear her footstep, thump, 
thump, thump, along the gravel walk ! [Red Queen 
thumping.] 

Alice. I think I ’ll go and meet her. 

Rose. You can’t possibly do that. I should advise you 
to walk the other way. 

[As Alice goes off one way the flowers go out the other.] 

FOURTH SCENE 
Red Queen Scene 

[Alice comes hack walking backward. The Red Queen 
comes from opposite direction walking backward , until 
they bump. Both turn.] 

Red Queen. Where do you come from? And where 
are you going? Look up, speak nicely, and don’t twiddle 
your fingers all the time. 

Alice. I lost my way. 

Red Queen. I don’t know what you mean by your way ; 
all the ways about here belong to me — but why did you 
come out here at all? Courtesy while you ’re thinking 
what to say. It saves time. 

Alice. [Court esying. Aside.] I ’ll try it when I go 
home, the next time I ’m a little late for dinner. 


62 


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Red Queen. [Looking at her watch.] It ’s time for 
you to answer now, open your mouth a little wider when 
you speak, and always say, “Your Majesty.’’ 

Alice. [Court esying.] I only wanted to see what the 
garden was like, Your Majesty. 

Red Queen. That ’s right ; though, when you say garden 
— I ’ve seen gardens, compared with which this would be a 
wilderness. 

Alice. I thought I ’d try and find my way to the top 
of that hill. 

Red Queen. When you say hill, I could show you hills, 
in comparison with which you ’d call that a valley. 

Alice. No, I shouldn’t; a hill can’t be a valley, you 
know. That would be nonsense. 

Red Queen. You may call it nonsense if you like, but 
I ’ve heard nonsense, compared with which that would be 
as sensible as a dictionary ! 

Alice. [Court esying.] I declare, it ’s marked out just 
like a large chessboard ! There ought to be some men mov- 
ing about somewhere — and so there are ! It ’s a huge game 
of chess that ’s being played — all over the world — if this 
is the world at all, you know. Oh, what fun it is ! How I 
wish I was one of them ! I should n’t mind being a Pawn, 
if only I might join — though, of course, I should like to be 
a Queen, best. 

Red Queen. That ’s easily managed. You can be the 
White Queen’s Pawn, if you like, as Lily’s too young to 
play ; and you ’re in the Second Square to begin with ; 
when you get to the Eighth Square you ’ll be a Queen. 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


63 


[ Takes Alice by hand and begins to run.] Faster ! Don’t 
try to talk ! Faster ! Faster ! Faster ! Faster ! 

Alice. [Panting.] Are we nearly there? 

Red Queen. Nearly there ! Why, we passed it ten min- 
utes ago! Faster! Now! Now! Faster! Faster! 
[Stopping suddenly. Alice sinks down.] You may rest 
a little, now. 

Alice. Why, I do believe we ’ve been under this tree 
the whole time ! Everything ’s just as it was ! 

Red Queen. Of course it is, what would you have it ? 

Alice. Well, in our country, you ’d generally get to 
somewhere else — if you ran very fast for a long time, as 
we ’ve been doing. 

Red Queen. A slow sort of country! Now here, you 
see, it takes all the running you can do to keep in the same 
place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at 
least twice as fast as that ! 

Alice. I ’d rather not try, please! I ’m quite content 
to stay here — only I am so hot and thirsty ! 

Red Queen. I know what you ’d like! [Takes biscuit 
out of her pocket.] Have a biscuit? [Alice takes biscuit.] 
While you ’re refreshing yourself, I ’ll just take the meas- 
urements. [Takes out ribbon , marked in inches , and begins 
measuring the ground.] At the end of two yards, I shall 
give you your directions — have another biscuit ? 

Alice. No, thank you, one ’s quite enough ! 

Red Queen. Thirst quenched, I hope. [Alice looks 
distressed.] At the end of three yards I shall repeat them 


64 


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— for fear of your forgetting them. At the end of four, I 
shall say good-by. And at the end of five, I shall go! 
[Begins walking slowly .] A pawn goes two squares in its 
first move, you know. So you ’ll go very quickly through 
the Third Square — by railway, I should think — and you 11 
find yourself in the Fourth Square in no time. Well, that 
square belongs to Tweedledum and Tweedledee — the Fifth 
is mostly water — the Sixth belongs to Humpty Dumpty — 
But you make no remark? 

Alice. I — did n’t know I had to make one — just then. 

Red Queen. You should have said, 4 ‘It ’s extremely 
kind of you to tell me all this,” however, we’ll suppose it 
said — the Seventh Square is all forest ; however, one of the 
Knights will show you the way, and in the Eighth Square 
we shall be queens together, and it ’s all feasting and fun ! 
[Alice stands and court esys.] Speak in French when you 
can’t think of the English for a thing — turn out your toes 
as you walk, and remember who you are ! Good-by. [Runs 

off.] 


FIFTH SCENE 

Tweedledum and Tweedledee Scene. 

[Alice goes to sign marked “To Tweedledum’s House 
and To the House of Tweedledee.”] 

Alice. I do believe that they live in the same house ! I 
wonder I never thought of that before — But I can’t stay 
there long. I ’ll just call and say “How d ’ye do?” and 
ask them the way qut of the wood. If I could only get to 
the Eighth Square before it gets dark ! 

[Tweedledum and Tweedledee come out, each with an 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


65 


arm round the other’s neck . They wear broad white 
collars. One marked “Dum,” the other “Dee.”] 

Tweedledum. If you think we ’re wax- works, you ought 
to pay, you know. Wax- works weren’t made to be looked 
at for nothing. Nohow ! 

Tweedledee. Contrariwise, if you think we ’re alive, 
you ought to speak. 

Alice. I ’m sure I ’m very sorry. [Recites.] 

Tweedledum and Tweedledee 
Agreed to have a battle ; 

For Tweedledum said Tweedledee 
Had spoiled his nice new rattle. 

Just then flew down a monstrous crow, 

As black as a tar-barrel ; 

Which frightened both the heroes so, 

They quite forgot their quarrel. 

Dum. I know what you ’re thinking about, but it is n’t 
so, nohow. 

Dee. Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it 
were so, it would be ; but as it is n’t, it ain’t. That ’s logic. 

Alice. I was thinking, which is the best way out of this 
wood: it is getting so dark. Will you tell me, please? 
[Dum and Dee look at each other and grin. Alice points 
her finger at Dum.] First Boy ! 

Dum. [Briskly.] Nohow! 

Alice. [Pointing her finger at Bee.] Next Boy! 

Dee. Contrariwise ! 


66 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


Dum. You ’ve begun wrong! The first thing in a visit 
is to say, “ How d’ ye do?” and shake hands! [Dum and 
Dee hug each other , and then hold out the two hands that 
are free , to shake hands with Alice. Instantly they begin 
dancing round and round , singing , ‘ ‘ Here we go round the 
mulberry bush.”] Four times round is enough for one 
dance. \They let go of Alice’s hands, and stand panting.] 

Alice. [Aside.] It would never do to say “How d’ye 
do ? ” now ; we seem to have got beyond that, somehow ! I 
hope you ’re not much tired ? 

Dum. Nohow. And thank you very much for asking. 

Dee. So much obliged ! You like poetry ? 

Alice. Ye-es, pretty well — some poetry. Would you 
tell me which road leads out of the wood? 

Dee. [Looking with great, solemn eyes at Dum.] What 
shall I repeat to her ? 

Dum. [Hugging Dee.] “The Walrus and the Car- 
penter” is the longest. 

Dee. The sun was shining— 

Alice. If it ’s very long, would you please tell me first 
which road — 

Dee. [Smiling gently.] 

The sun was shining on the sea, 

Shining with all his might : 

He did his very best to make 
The billows smooth and bright — 

And this was odd, because it was 
The middle of the night. 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


67 


The moon was shining sulkily, 

Because she thought the sun 

Had got no business to be there 
After the day was done — 

* * It ’s very rude of him, ’ ’ she said, 

‘ 1 To come and spoil the fun ! ’ ’ 

The sea was wet as wet could be, 

The sands were dry as dry. 

You could not see a cloud, because 
No cloud was in the sky: 

No birds were flying overhead — 

There were no birds to fly. 

“ Oysters, come and walk with us \” 

The Walrus did beseech. 

“A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk, 

Along the briny beach ; 

We cannot do with more than four, 

To give a hand to each. ’ ’ 

The eldest Oyster looked at him, 

But never a word he said : 

The eldest Oyster winked his eye, 

And shook his heavy head — 

Meaning to say he did not choose 
To leave the oyster-bed. 

But four young Oysters hurried up, 

All eager for the treat: 

Their coats were brushed, their faces washed, 
Their shoes were clean and neat — 

And this was odd, because, you know, 

They had n ’t any feet. 


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Four other Oysters followed them, 

And yet another four ; 

And thick and fast they came at last, 
And more, and more, and more — 

All hopping through the frothy waves, 
And scrambling to the shore. 

The Walrus and the Carpenter 
Walked on a mile or so, 

And then they rested on a rock 
Conveniently low : 

And all the little Oysteis stood 
And waited in a row. 

“The time has come,” the Walrus said, 

1 1 To talk of many things : 

Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax — 
Of cabbages — and kings — 

And why the sea is boiling hot — 

And whether pigs have wings. ’ ’ 

“But wait a bit,” the Oysters cried, 
“Before we have our chat; 

For some of us are out of breath, 

And all of us are f at ! ” 

“No hurry!” said the Carpenter. 

They thanked him much for that. 

“A loaf of bread,” the Walrus said, 

“Is what we chiefly need: 

Pepper and vinegar besides 
Are very good indeed — 

Now if you ’re ready, Oysters dear, 

We can begin to feed.” 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


69 


“But not on us!” the Oysters cried, 

Turning a little blue. 

“After such kindness, that would be 
A dismal thing to do ! ” 

“The night is fine,” the Walrus said, 

“Do you admire the view? 

1 1 It was so kind of you to come ! 

And you are very nice!” 

The Carpenter said nothing but 
“Cut us another slice. 

I wish you were not quite so deaf — 

I Ve had to ask you twice ! 9 9 

“It seems a shame,” the Walrus said, 

‘ ‘ To play them such a trick. 

After we Ve brought them out so far, 

And made them trot so quick!” 

The Carpenter said nothing but 
‘ ‘ The butter *s spread too thick ! ’ ’ 

“0 Oysters,” said the Carpenter, 

“You Ve had a pleasant run! 

Shall we be trotting home again ? ’ 9 
But answer came there none — 

And this was scarcely odd, because 
They ’d eaten every one. 

[Throughout the recitation appropriate gestures are made 
by Dum and Dee ; the latter using his right hand , the 
former his left hand.] 

Alice. I like the Walrus best, because he was a little 
sorry for the poor oysters. 

Dee. He ate more than the Carpenter, though. You see 


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he held his handkerchief in front, so that the Carpenter 
couldn’t count how many he took; contrariwise. 

Alice. That was mean ! Then I like the Carpenter best 
— if he didn’t eat so many as the Walrus. 

Dum. But he ate as many as he could get. 

Alice. Well! They were both very unpleasant char- 
acters — Are there any lions or tigers about here f 

Dee. It ’s only the Red King snoring. [Red King 
huddled down in a corner , snoring very loud.] 

Dum and Dee. [Taking Alice by the hand.] Come and 
look at him! [Lead Alice up to where the Red King is 
sleeping.] 

Dum. Is n’t he a lovely sight ? Snoring fit to snore his 
head off! 

Alice. I ’m afraid he ’ll catch cold lying on the damp 
grass. 

Dee. He ’s dreaming now, and what do you think he ’s 
dreaming about? 

Alice. Nobody can guess that. 

Dee. [Clapping his hands.] Why, about you! And if 
he left off dreaming about you, where do you suppose you ’d 
be? 

Alice. Where I am now, of course. 

Dee. Not you! You ’d be nowhere. Why, you ’re only 
a sort of thing in his dream ! 

Dum. If that there king was to wake, you ’d go out — 
bang !— just like a candle ! 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


71 


Alice. I should n’t ! Besides, if I ’m only a sort of 
thing in his dream, what are you, I should like to know ? 

Dum. Ditto. 

Dee. Ditto, ditto! 

Alice. Hush ! You ’ll be waking him, I ’m afraid, if 
you make so much noise. 

Dum. Well, it ’s no use your talking about waking 
him, when you ’re only one of the things in his dream. You 
know very well you ’re not real. 

Alice. [Crying.] I am real! y 

Dee. You won’t make yourself a bit realler by crying; 
there ’s nothing to cry about. 

Alice. If I was n’t real, I should n’t be able to cry. 

Dum. I hope you don’t suppose those are real tears? 

Alice. [Aside.] I know they ’re talking nonsense, and 
it ’s foolish to cry about it. At any rate I ’d better be 
getting out of the wood, for really it ’s coming on very dark. 
[Turning to Dum.] Do you think it ’s going to rain? 

Dum. [Opening a large umbrella over himself and Dee, 
and looking up into it.] No, I don’t think it is, at least — 
not under here. Nohow. 

Alice. But it may rain outside. 

Dee. It may — if it chooses ; we ’ve no objection. Con- 
trariwise. 

Alice. [Aside.] Selfish things! [As she starts to 
leave, Tweedledum jumps from under the umbrella, and 
seizes her by the wrist.] 


72 THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 

Dum. [Very dramatically.] Do yon see that? 

Alice. It is only a rattle. Not a rattle-snake, you know, 
only an old rattle, quite old and broken. 

Dum. I knew it was! [Begins to stamp around and 
tear his hair.] It ’s spoiled, of course! [Turning to 
Tweedledee, who is hiding under the umbrella.] 

Alice. [Laying her hand upon his arm.] You need n’t 
be so angry about an old rattle. 

Dum. But it is n’t old ! It ’s new, I tell you — I bought 
it yesterday — [screaming] my nice new rattle! [Turning 
to Dee] Of course you agree to have a battle ? 

Dee. [Crawling out from under umbrella.] I suppose 
so, only she must help to dress us, you know. [Buns and 
brings out a pile of capes, shawls, etc., and two milk pails 
for their heads.] 

Alice. [Aside, while she dresses them.] Really they ’ll 
be more like bundles of old clothes than anything else, by 
the time they ’re ready ! 

Dee. [Very gravely.] You know, it is one of the most 
serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle, — 
to get one’s head cut off. 

Dum. Do I look very pale ? 

Alice. Oh, not very. 

Dum. I am generally very brave, only to-day I happen 
to have a headache. 

Dee. And I ’ve got a toothache! I ’m far worse than 
you! 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


73 


Alice. Then yon ’d better not fight to-day. 

Dum. We must have a bit of a fight, but I don’t care 
about going on long. What ’s the time now ? 

Dee. [Looking at his watch.] Half-past four. 

Dum. Let ’s fight till six, and then have dinner. 

Dee. [Very sadly.] Very well, and she can watch us; 
only you ’d better not come very close, as I generally hit 
everything I can see, when I get really excited. 

Dum. And I hit everything within reach, whether I can 
see it or not. 

Alice. [Laughing.] You must hit the trees pretty 
often, I should think. 

Dum. [Looking around with a satisfied smile.] I don’t 
suppose there ’ll be a tree left standing, for ever so far 
around, by the time we ’ve finished ! 

Alice. And all about a rattle! 

Dum. I should n’t have minded it so much, if it had n’t 
been a new one. 

Alice. [Aside.] I wish the monstrous crow would 
come ! 

Dum. There ’s only one sword, you know, but you can 
have the umbrella ; it ’s quite as sharp. Only we must 
begin quick. It ’s getting as dark as it can. 

Dee. And darker. 

Alice. What a thick black cloud that is ! And how fast 
it comes ! Why, I do believe it ’s got wings ! 


74 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


Dum. [Much alarmed.] It’s the crow! [Both run 
out , dropping the pails from their heads. Alice follows.] 

SIXTH SCENE 
Queen Alice Scene. 

[A crown is lying on the stage. Alice comes in and 
puts it on.] 

Alice. Well, this is grand ! I never expected I should 
be a Queen so soon — and I tell you what it is, Your Majesty 
[speaking to herself] , it ’ll never do for you to be lolling 
about on the grass like that ! Queens have to be dignified, 
you know! [Walks around , standing very straight, as if 
afraid the crown will fall off.] If I really am a Queen 
[sitting down], I shall be able to manage it quite well in 
time. [Red Queen and White Queen come quietly in and 
sit close to her, one on each side.] Please would you tell 
me — 

Red Queen. [Sharply.] Speak when you ’re spoken to ! 

Alice. But if everybody obeyed that rule, and if you 
only spoke when you were spoken to, and the other person 
always waited for you to begin, you see nobody would ever 
say anything, so that — 

Red Queen. Ridiculous! Why, don’t you see, child — 
[Thinks a moment.] What do you mean by ‘ * If you really 
are a Queen”? What right have you to call yourself so? 
You can’t be a Queen, you know, till you ’ve passed the 
proper examination. And the sooner we begin it, the 
better. 


Alice. I only said “if.” 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


75 


Red Queen. [ Shuddering ; turning to White Queen.] 
She says she only said “if” — 

White Queen. But she said a great deal more than that ; 
oh, ever so much more than that ! 

Red Queen. [Turning to Alice.] So you did, you 
know. Always speak the truth — think before you speak — 
and write it down afterwards. 

Alice. I ’m sure I didn’t mean — 

Red Queen. That ’s just what I complain of! You 
should have meant ! What do you suppose is the use of a 
child without any meaning ? Even a joke should have some 
meaning, and a child ’s more important than a joke, I hope. 
You could n’t deny that, even if you tried with both hands. 

Alice. I don’t deny things with my hands. 

Red Queen. Nobody said you did. I said you could n’t 
if you tried. 

White Queen. She ’s in that state of mind that she 
wants to deny something, only she doesn’t know what to 
deny! 

Red Queen. A nasty, vicious temper ! — I invite you to 
Alice’s dinner-party this afternoon. 

White Queen. And I invite you. 

Alice. I did n ’t know I was to have a party at all, but 
if there is to be one, I thiuk I ought to invite the guests. 

Red Queen. We gave you the opportunity of doing it, 
but I daresay you ’ve not had many lessons in manners yet ? 

Alice. Manners are not taught in lessons. Lessons 
teach you to do sums, and things of that sort. 


76 THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 

White Queen. Can yon do addition? What ’s one and 
one and one and one and one and one and one and one and 
one? 

Alice. I don’t know; I lost count. 

Red Queen. She can’t do addition. Can you do sub- 
traction? Take nine from eight. 

Alice. Nine from eight I can ’t, you know, but — 

White Queen. She can’t do subtraction. Can you do 
division? Divide a loaf by a knife — what ’s the answer to 
that? 

Alice. I suppose — 

Red Queen. Bread and butter, of course. Try another 
subtraction sum. Take a bone from a dog ; what remains ? 

Alice. The bone wouldn’t remain, of course, if I took 
it — and the dog would n ’t remain ; it would come to bite 
me — and I ’m sure I should n ’t remain ! 

Red Queen. Then you think nothing would remain ? 

Alice. I think that ’s the answer. 

Red Queen. Wrong, as usual; the dog’s temper would 
remain. 

Alice. But I don’t see how — 

Red Queen. Why, look here! The dog would lose its 
temper, wouldn’t it? 

Alice. Perhaps it would. 

Red Queen. Then if the dog went away, its temper 
would remain! 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


77 


Both Queens. She can’t do sums a bit! 

Alice. [Turning to White Queen.] Can you do sums? 

White Queen. [Gasping.] I can do addition, if you 
give me time, but I can’t do subtraction under any cir- 
cumstances ! 

Red Queen. Of course you know your ABC? 

Alice. To be sure I do. 

White Queen. So do I ; we ’ll often say it over to- 
gether, dear. And I ’ll tell you a secret— I can read the 
words of one letter! Isn’t that grand? However, don’t 
be discouraged. You ’ll come to it in time. 

Red Queen. Can you answer useful questions ? How is 
bread made ? 

Alice. [Eagerly.] I know that! You take some 
flour — 

White Queen. Where do you pick the flower? In a 
garden, or in the hedges ? 

Alice. Well, it isn’t picked at all, it ’s ground — 

White Queen. How many acres of ground? You 
must n’t leave out so many things. 

Red Queen. Fan her head ! She ’ll be feverish after so 
much thinking. [Queens fan Alice.] She ’s all right 
again now. Do you know languages ? What ’s the French 
for fiddle-de-dee? 

Alice. [Gravely.] Fiddle-de-dee ’s not English. 

Red Queen. Whoever said it was? 


78 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


Alice. If you ’ll tell me what language “Fiddle-de-dee” 
is, I ’ll tell you the French for it ! 

Red Queen. [Drawing herself up stiffly.] Queens 
never make bargains. 

Alice. [Aside.] I wish Queens never asked questions. 

White Queen. Don’t let us quarrel. What is the cause 
of lightning? 

Alice. The cause of lightning is the thunder — no, no ! 
I meant the other way. 

Red Queen. It ’s too late to correct it. When you ’ve 
once said a thing, that fixes it, and you must take the con- 
sequences. 

White Queen. [Nervously clasping and unclasping her 
hands.] We had such a thunderstorm last Tuesday ; I mean 
one of the last set of Tuesdays, you know. • 

Alice. In our country, there ’s only one day at a time. 

Red Queen. That ’s a poor thin way of doing things. 
Now here, we mostly have days and nights two or three at 
a time, and sometimes in the winter we take as many as 
five nights together, — for warmth, you know. 

Alice. Are five nights warmer than one night, then ? 

Red Queen. Five times as warm, of course. 

Alice. But they should be five times as cold, by the same 
rule — 

Red Queen. Just so! Five times as warm, and five 
times as cold — just as I ’m five times as rich as you are, 
and five times as clever ! 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


79 


Alice. It ’s exactly like a riddle with no answer ! 

Red Queen. [Taking White Queen’s hand, and turn- 
ing to Alice.] Pat her on the head and see how pleased 
she ’ll be! She really can’t help being foolish, she never 
was really well brought up. A little kindness, and putting 
her hair up in papers, would do wonders with her. 

White Queen. [Sighing, and putting her head on 
Alice’s shoulder.] I am so sleepy! 

Red Queen. She ’s tired, poor thing ! Smooth her hair, 
lend her your nightcap, and sing her a soothing lullaby. 

Alice. I have n’t a nightcap with me, and I don’t know 
any soothing lullabies. 

Red Queen. I must do it myself, then. [Sings.] 

Hush-a-by, lady, in Alice ’s lap ! 

Till the feast ’s ready, we ’ve time for a nap. 

When the feast ’s over, we ’ll go to the ball — 

Red Queen, and White Queen, and Alice, and all ! 

And now you know the words [putting her head down on 
Alice’s other shoulder], just sing it through to me; I ’m 
getting sleepy, too. [Both Queens sleep and snore, while 
Alice sings the lullaby.] 

Alice. What am I to do? [Looks around in great per- 
plexity as first one head and then the other rolls to her lap.] 
I don’t think it ever happened before, that any one had to 
take care of two queens asleep at once. No, not in all the 
history of England; it couldn’t, you know, because there 
never was more than one queen at a time. Do wake up, 
you heavy things ! 


80 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 


Both Queens. [Their snoring gradually changes into a 
soft humming of the lullaby. They pass out singing.] 

Hush-a-'by, lady, in Alice’s lap ! 

Till the feast ’s ready, we V© time for a nap. 

When the feast ’s over, we ’ll go to the ball — 

Red Queen, and White Queen, and Alice, and all ! 


SEVENTH SCENE 
The Frog Scene. 

[A sign bearing the words “ Queen Alice” is placed on a 
door . Alice standing before the door , knocking.] 

Frog. [Hobbling over to her. Speaks in very hoarse 
voice.] What is it now? 

Alice. Where ’s the servant whose business it is to an- 
swer the door ? 

Frog. Which door ? 

Alice. [Irritated.] This door, of course. 

Frog. [Staring at door and rubbing it with his thumb.] 
To answer the door? What ’s it been asking of? 

Alice. I don’t know what you mean. 

Voices. [Singing back of stage.] 

To the Looking-Glass world it was Alice that said, 

‘ ‘ I ’ve a scepter in hand, I ’ve a crown on my head ; 

Let the Looking-Glass creatures, whatever they be, 
Come and dine with the Red Queen, the White Queen, 
and me!” 


THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS 81 

EIGHTH SCENE 

Coming Back to Every Day Land. 

[Alice sits down in arm chair , holding the black 
kitten in her arms, and shuts her eyes.] 

Alice. [Awaking.] And it really was a kitten, after 
all. 


FINIS 





TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, 
VIRGINIA, 1860 

Arranged by Anna M. Lutkenhaus. 


(From “The Long Roll,” by Mary Johnston. Permission to use this by 
courtesy of the Houghton, Mifflin Co.) 



































































































































































































. 

































































TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, 
VIRGINIA, 1860 


FIRST SCENE 

[Several schoolboys have met in Arthur Jackson’s home 
and are preparing their next day’s history lesson. 
They are studying about the Civil War and the as- 
signed lesson is “States’ Rights.”] 

Arthur. Ugh! how I hate this dry old history lesson! 
Do yon boys all understand what is meant by “States’ 
Rights,” and Secession and all the other things that are 
given to us as causes of the great Civil War? 

Tom. No, Arthur, I don’t for one, and I ’m mighty glad 
to hear you say that you don’t. I wish we could move on 
to the real battle scenes where we shall study about Lee, and 
Grant, and Sheridan, and Stonewall Jackson, and all those 
great generals. That ’s the sort of history I like, where men 
are doing something. All this about states fighting about 
their rights and the Constitution being amended and 
boundary lines between slave and free states being drawn, 
is so dry. No boy could understand it, no matter how hard 
he studied it. 

Arthur. I don’t hear Rob saying a word. He just sits 
there and looks as wise as an owl and as solemn as a 
judge. 

Rob. I was thinking. Tom said a moment ago that he 
likes history of battles where men are doing things — men 

85 


86 TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, VA., 1860 


like Lee, and Grant, and Sheridan, and Stonewall Jackson. 
Well, so do I like that kind of history; but don’t you like 
Lincoln and Seward, and Jefferson and Franklin, and that 
kind of men ? It seems to me they wore doing things too, 
even though they didn’t really fight. 

All the Boys. Yes, yes, Lincoln was great ! 

Rob. I have just been reading a good story. It is really 
about Stonewall Jackson. And I tell you, boys, there were 
harder battles to fight than Antietam or Gettysburg. This 
story begins by telling what a hard time Virginia had in 
deciding whether she should be a southern or a northern 
state and some men had hard battles to fight in making up 
their minds. 

Arthur. What ’s the name of the book ? 

Tom. Will you lend it to me ? 

Rob. I shall get the book now. It is * ‘ The Long Roll, ’ ’ 
by Mary Johnston. I know this, I should have liked to 
have been present at that town meeting in Botetourt. 
[Boys take book and look it over.] 

Tom. I have an idea ! Let ’s act this town meeting, that 
teaches us about states’ rights, as our class lesson to-morrow. 
Our teacher will allow us to do this, I am sure. 

All the Boys. Fine ! Let ’s get the other boys and get 
to work at it. [Pass out.] 

SECOND SCENE 

Member. Judge Allen, will you take the floor, and tell 
the Assembly the first of the Botetourt Resolutions ? 

Judge Allen. The people of Botetourt County, in gen- 


TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, VA., 1860 87 

eral meeting assembled, believe it to be the duty of all the 
citizens of the Commonwealth, in the present alarming con- 
dition of our country, to give some expression of their 
opinion upon the threatening aspect of public affairs. In 
the controversies with the mother country, growing out of 
the effort of the latter to tax the Colonies without their 
consent, it was Virginia who, by the resolution against the 
Stamp Act, gave the example of the first authoritative re- 
sistance by a legislative body to the British Government, 
and so imparted the first impulse to the Revolution. Vir- 
ginia declared her independence before any of the colonies, 
and gave the first written constitution to mankind. By 
her instructions her representatives in the General Congress 
introduced a resolution to declare the Colonies independent 
states, and the Declaration, itself, was written by one of 
her sons. She furnished to the Confederate States the 
Father of his Country, under whose guidance independence 
was achieved, and the rights and liberties of each state, it 
was hoped, perpetually established. She stood undismayed 
through the long night of the Revolution, breasting the 
storm of war and pouring out the blood of her sons like 
water on every battlefield, from the ramparts of Quebec to 
the sands of Georgia. 

Assembly. [Shouting.] That she did — that she did! 
“Old Virginia never tire.” 

First Member. By her unaided efforts the Northwest- 
ern Territory was conquered, whereby the Mississippi, in- 
stead of the Ohio River, was recognized as the boundary of 
the United States by treaty of peace. To secure harmony, 
and as an evidence of her estimate of the value of the 
Union of the States, she ceded to all for their common 
benefit this magnificent region — an empire in itself. When 


88 TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, VA., 1860 


the Articles of Confederation were shown to be inadequate 
to secure peace and tranquillity at home and respect abroad, 
Virginia first moved to bring about a more perfect Union. 

Assembly. Right ! 

Second Member. At her instance the first assemblage of 
commissioners took place at Annapolis, which ultimately 
led to a meeting of the Convention which formed the present 
Constitution. The instrument itself was in a great meas- 
ure the production of one of her sons, who has been justly 
styled the Father of the Constitution. The government 
created by it was put into operation, with her Washington, 
the father of his country, at its head; her Jefferson, the 
author of the Declaration of Independence, in his cabinet ; 
her Madison, the great advocate of the Constitution, in the 
legislative hall. 

A Voice from Assembly. And each of the three left on 
record his judgment as to the integral rights of the feder- 
ating states. 

Third Member. Under the leading of Virginia states- 
men, the Revolution of 1798 was brought about, Louisiana 
was acquired, and the second war of independence was 
waged. Throughout the whole progress of the Republic 
she has never infringed on the rights of any state, or asked 
or received an exclusive benefit.* She has a right to look 
for feelings of fraternity and kindness for her citizens from 
the citizens of other states. These reasonable expectations 
have been grievously disappointed — 

Assembly. That ’s the truth ! that ’s the plain truth ! 
North and South ; we ’re leagues asunder. 

A Member. We don’t think alike, we don’t feel alike, 
and we don’t interpret the Constitution alike ! I ’ll tell you 


TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, VA., 1860 89 

how the North interprets it — Government by the North, for 
the North, and over the South. Go on, Major. 

Third Member. In view of this state of things, we are 
not inclined to rebuke or censure the people of any of our 
sister states in the South, suffering from injury and threat- 
ened, with wrongs, for their bold determination to relieve 
themselves from such injustice and oppression by dissolving 
the compact which they had formed and to provide new; 
guards for their future security. 

A Member. South Carolina! Georgia, too, will be out 
in January. Alabama as well, Mississippi and Louisiana. 
Go on! 

Fourth Member. Nor have we any doubt of the right 
of any state to judge for itself on its own responsibility, as 
to the mode and manner of redress. The states, each for 
itself, exercised this sovereign power when they dissolved 
their connection with the British Empire. They exercised 
the same power when nine of the states seceded from 
the Confederation and adopted the present Constitution, 
though two states at first rejected it. The Articles of 
Confederation stipulated that those articles should be 
inviolably observed by every state, and that the Union 
should be perpetual, and that no alteration should be 
made unless agreed to by Congress and confirmed by every 
state. Notwithstanding this solemn compact, a portion of 
the states did, without the consent of others, form a new 
compact; and there is nothing to show, or by which it can 
be shown, that this right has been, or can be, diminished so 
long as the states continue sovereign. 

A Member. The right ’s the right of self-government — 
and it ’s inherent and inalienable ! 


90 TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, VA., 1860 


Other Member. We fought for it — when didn’t we 
fight for it ? When we cease to fight for it, then chaos and 
night! Go on, go on! 

Fifth Member. The foundation on which the Constitu- 
tion was established was* Federal, and the State, in the ex- 
ercise of the same sovereign authority by which she ratified 
for herself, may for herself abrogate and annul. The opera- 
tion of its powers, whilst the State remains in the Confed- 
eracy, is national; and consequently a state remaining in 
the Union, and enjoying its benefits, cannot by any mode 
of procedure withdraw its citizens from the obligation to 
obey the Constitution and the laws passed in pursuance 
thereof. But when a state does secede, the Constitution 
and laws of the United States cease to operate therein. No 
power is conferred on Congress to enforce them. Such 
authority was denied in the Congress in the convention 
which framed the Constitution, because it would be an act 
of war of nation against nation — not the exercise of the 
legitimate power of a government to enforce its laws on 
those subject to its jurisdiction. [The Assembly murmurs , 
and these murmurs grow louder.] The assumption of such 
a power would be the assertion of a prerogative claimed by 
the British Government to legislate for the Colonies in all 
cases whatever; it would constitute of itself a dangerous 
attack on the rights of the states, and should be promptly 
repelled. 

Members. Yes, yes. That is our doctrine — bred in the 
bone — dyed in the weaving ! J efferson, Madison, Marshall, 
Washington, Henry — further back yet, further back — back 
to Magna Charta ! 

Sixth Member. Whilst, therefore, we regret that any 
state should, in a matter of common grievance, have deter- 


TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, VA., 1860 91 

mined to act for herself without consulting with her sister 
states equally aggrieved, we are nevertheless constrained 
to say that the occasion justifies and loudly calls for action 
of some kind. In view, therefore, of the present condition 
of our country, and the causes of it, we declare almost in 
the words of our fathers, 4 ‘ That we desire no change in our 
government whilst left to the free enjoyment of our equal 
privileges secured by the Constitution; but that should a 
tyrannical sectional majority, under the sanction of the 
forms of the Constitution, persist in acts of injustice and 
violence toward us, they only must be answerable for the 
consequences. ’ ’ 

Assembly. Yes, yes. 

Seventh Member. Liberty is so strongly impressed 
upon our hearts that we cannot think of parting with it 
but with our lives ; that our duty to God, our country, our- 
selves, and our posterity forbid it ; we stand, therefore, pre- 
pared for every contingency. Resolved, therefore, that in 
view of the facts set out by the foregoing speakers, it is the 
opinion of this meeting that a convention of the people 
should be called forthwith; that the State in its sovereign 
character should consult with the other southern states, 
and agree upon such guarantees as in their opinion will 
secure their equality, tranquillity, and rights within the 
Union. 

Member. Yes, yes! within the Union! They’re not 
quite mad — not even the black Republicans! We ’ll save 
the Union! We made it, and we ’ll save it! Unless the 
North take leave of its senses. Go on, Judge Allen. 

Judge Allen. And in the event of a failure to obtain 
such guarantees, to adopt in concert with the other South- 


92 TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, VA., 1860 


ern States, or alone, such measures as may seem expedient 
to protect the rights and ensure the safety of the people of 
Virginia. 

Assembly. [Murmuring, growing louder.] 

First Member. I move that these resolutions be adopted. 

Second Member. I second the motion. 

Judge Allen. All in favor say “Aye.” [A loud an- 
swer. ] Contrary, 4 ‘ Nay. ’ ’ 

A Member. Who is the speaker going up now ? 

Another Member. Ah, we ’ll have the Union now ! 
It ’s Major Cary, a strong Union man. He is the last 
speaker for to-day. 

Judge Allen. I am sure that few in Botetourt need an 
introduction here. We, no more than others, are free from 
vanity, and we think we know a hero by intuition. Men of 
Botetourt, we have the honor to listen to Major Fauquier 
Cary, who carried the flag up Chapultepec! [Great ap- 
plause.] 

Major Cary. You are too good! I ’m afraid you don’t 
know Fauquier Cary very well, after all. He ’s no hero — 
worse luck ! He ’s only a Virginian, trying to do the right 
as he sees it, out yonder on the plains with the Apaches and 
the Comanches and the sage brush and the desert — 

A Voice. How about Chapultepec — and the Rio Grande ? 
Did n’t we hear something about a fight in Texas? 

Cary. A fight in Texas? [Laughing.] Many. I ’m 
only a Virginian out there. As you know, I am by no 
means the only Virginian, and they are heroes, the others, 
if you like ! Real old-line heroes, brave as the warriors in 


TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, VA., 1860 


93 


Homer, and a long sight better men! Out there by the 
Rio Grande is a Colonel Robert E. Lee, of whom Virginia 
may well be proud! [Applause.] There are few heights 
in those western deserts, but he carries his height with him. 
He ’s marked for greatness. Oh, there are Stuart, and 
Johnston from Kentucky, and McClellan, and Hancock from 
Pennsylvania, and many, many others. And way out yon- 
der, in the midst of sage brush and Apaches, when any of 
us chance to meet around a camp-fire, there we sit and tell 
stories of home, of Virginia and Pennsylvania, of Georgia 
and New Hampshire. Men of Botetourt ! I speak for my 
fellow soldiers of the Army of the United States when I say 
that, out yonder, we are blithe to fight with marauding 
Comanches, with wolves and with grizzlies, but that we are 
not — oh, we are not — ready to fight with each other! 
Brother against brother — comrade against comrade — friend 
against friend — to quarrel in the same tongue and to slay 
the man with whom you Ve faced a thousand dangers — no, 
we are not ready for that ! Virginians ! I will not believe 
that the permanent dissolution of this great Union is come. 
I will not believe that we stand to-day in danger of in- 
ternecine war ! Men of Botetourt, go slow — go slow ! The 
right of State — I grant it ! I was bred in that doctrine, as 
were you all. The Botetourt Resolutions — amen to much, 
to very much in the Botetourt Resolutions. South Caro- 
lina ! Let South Carolina go in peace ! it is her right ! Re- 
membering old comradeship, old battlefields, old defeats, 
old victories, we shall still be friends. If the Gulf States 
go, still it is their right, immemorial, incontrovertible! — 
The right of self-government. We are of one blood and 
the country is wide. Godspeed both to Lot and Abraham ! 
On some sunny future day may their children draw to- 
gether and take hands again. So much for the seceding 


94 TOWN MEETING IN BOTETOURT, VA., 1860 


states. Blit Virginia, — but Virginia made possible the 
Union, — let her stand fast in it in this day of storm ! In 
this Convention let her voice be heard, — as I know it will 
be heard — for wisdom, for moderation, for patience! So, 
or soon or late, she will mediate between the states, she will 
once again make the ring complete, she will be the savior 
of this great historic Confederation which our fathers made ! 

[All pass out , talking gravely.] 


THE END 


A HANDFUL OF CLAY 


By Henry van Dyke. 

Arranged as a pantomime by Margaret Knox. 


From the van Dyke Book. By permission of Charles Scribner’s Sons. 


Four speakers may recite the piece without breaking the continuity 
of the thought. They should be selected for the beauty of their 
voices, and for ability to have the voice express the characters and 
feeling represented in the story. 

One girl, dressed in a flowing white dress, stands in the center of 
the stage or assembly room and acts the story in pantomime. 

Material needed: Plasticene, color of red clay, such as is used 
in kindergartens for modeling. This is far better than the ordinary 
clay, as it remains soft and can be used over and over again. 

An ordinary clay flower pot. 

A bulb. 

A pot of blooming Easter lilies. (Cut lilies may be inserted in 
a pot filled with damp earth, and kept firm by tying to a stick, if 
lilies in bloom cannot be had.^ 


A HANDFUL OF CLAY 


[ Throughout the rendering of the selection beautiful music 
is played. Parts of different musical selections may 
be blended; taking care to have the music appropriate : 
i.e., when the flower pot is found to be “straight and 
stiff , red and ugly,” discords are needed; when the 
birds sing, light dainty music; when the “Glorious 
music flows,” great majestic chords are needed.] 

[J.S the pantomime begins, the actor is standing in the 
middle aisle or in the center of the stage, holding the 
lump of clay in her hand. The other material is hid- 
den, either behind a screen on the stage, or under a 
desk near the aisle.] 

[The actor must at every change of thought or character 
change expression of face to suit the feeling depicted.] 


First Speaker. There was a hand- 
ful of clay in the bank of a river. It was 
only common clay, coarse and heavy ; but 
it had high thoughts of its own value, and 
wonderful dreams of the great place 
which it was to fill in the world when 
the time came for its virtues to he dis- 
covered. 

Overhead, in the spring sunshine, the 
trees whispered together of the glory 
which descended upon them when the 
delicate blossoms and leaves began to 

97 


Holds clay up in 
right hand. 

Facial expression de- 
notes feeling of sod- 
den heaviness. 
Facial expression 
changes to a rapt ex- 
pression, with face 
upturned. 

Lays down clay. 

Both arms up over 
head. 

Right hand pointing 
to imaginary leaves 
and blossoms or to 


A HANDFUL OF CLAY 


98 




expand, and the forest glowed with fair 
clear colors, as if the dust of thousands 
of rubies and emeralds were hanging, in 
soft clouds, above the earth. 

The flowers, surprised with the joy of 
beauty, bent their heads to one another, 
as the wind caressed them, and said, 
“Sisters, how lovely you have become. 
You make the day bright.” 

The river, glad of new strength and 
rejoicing in the unison of all its waters, 
murmured to the shores in music, tell- 
ing of its release from icy fetters, its 
swift flight from the snow-clad moun- 
tains, and the mighty work to which it 
was hurrying — the wheels of many mills 
to be turned, and great ships to be floated 
to the sea. 


Waiting blindly in its bed, the clay 
comforted itself with lofty hopes. “My 
time will come,” it said. “I was not 
made to be hidden forever. Glory and 
beauty and honor are coming to me in 
due season.” 

Second Speaker. One day the clay 
felt itself taken from the place where it 
had waited so long. A flat blade of iron 
passed beneath it, and lifted it, and 
tossed it into a cart with other lumps of 


flowers or plants 
near by. 

Right hand as if 
holding something, 
coming nearer and 
nearer to earth. 

Point to imaginary 
flowers. 

Head bent. 

Caressing motion of 
hands. 

Point off in distance 
to the river. 

Follow river in its 
course. 

Here the music 
should represent the 
flow of a brook, and 
later grow stately 
and dignified to rep- 
resent the river in its 
mighty work. 

Swift turning of arm 
in large spiral. 

Rapid music. 

Very slow motion, 
pointing to ship in 
distance, and moving 
slowly with it. 

Takes up clay and 
holds it. 

An expression of am- 
bitious hope and of 
self-satisfied content- 
ment. 


Change clay to left 
hand; use right hand 
as blade of iron. 

Lift clay high. 

Toss clay from one 
hand to other. 


A HANDFUL OF CLAY 


99 


clay, and it was carried far away, as it 
seemed, over a rough and stony road. 
But it was not afraid, nor discouraged, 
for it said to itself : 1 1 This is necessary. 
The path to glory is always rugged. 
Now I am on my way to play a great 
part in the world.” 

But the hard journey was nothing 
compared with the tribulation and dis- 
tress that came after it. The clay was 
put into a trough and mixed and beaten 
and stirred and trampled. It seemed 
almost unbearable. But there was con- 
solation in the thought that something 
very fine and noble was certainly coming 
out of all this trouble. The clay felt 
sure that, if it could only wait long 
enough, a wonderful reward was in store 
for it. 


Then it was put upon a swiftly turn- 
ing wheel, and whirled around until it 


Music unsettled, ir- 
regular in time. 


Expression of stern 
determination. 

The actor now molds 
the clay into the 
shape of a flower 
pot. It is wise to 
practise this until 
the actor can finish 
the molding exactly 
at the point “taking 
a new form.” 

This entire para- 
graph gives oppor- 
tunity for great ex- 
pressiveness both by 
speaker’s voice and 
the actor’s gesture. 
“Hard journey” — 
disturbed expression. 
“Tribulation and dis- 
tress” — anxious, wor- 
ried. 

“Mixed, beaten 
stirred” — (act upon 
the plasticene with 
vigorous hand 
thrusts ) . 

“Almost unbearable” 
— head turned away, 
right hand pushing 
the trouble aside. 
“Consolation” — hope- 
ful expression. 
“Something fine and 
noble” — uplifted face. 
“Wonderful reward 
in store” — proud, sat- 
isfied look. 

Rotary motion with 
hand. 

Facial expression of 


100 


A HANDFUL OF CLAY 


seemed as if it must fly into a thousand 
pieces. A strange power pressed it and 
molded it, as it revolved, and through 
all the dizziness and pain it felt that it 
was taking a new form. 

Then an unknown hand put it into an 
oven, and fires were kindled about .it — 
fierce and penetrating — hotter than all 
the heats of summer that had ever 
brooded upon the bank of the river. 
But through all, the clay held itself to- 
gether and endured its trials, in the con- 
fidence of a great future. “Surely,” it 
thought, “I am intended for something 
Very splendid, since such pains are taken 
with me. Perhaps I am fashioned for 
the ornament of a temple, or a precious 
vase for the table of a king. ’ ’ 


Third Speaker. At last the baking 
was finished. The clay was taken from 
the furnace and set upon a board, in the 
cool air, under the blue sky. The trib- 
ulation was passed. The reward was at 
hand. 

Close beside the board there was a pool 
of water, not very deep, nor very clear, 


earnest endeavor and 
questioning as if to 
solve the mystery of 
its own future. 

Plasticene is molded 
in form of flower pot. 

Facial expression 
should change to suit 
the feeling expressed 
by such words as, 
“fire, fierce and pene- 
trating.” 

Clay is put down. 


“Endured its trials” 
— bite lower lip, close 
eyes and clench fists. 
“Confidence of a 
great future — brave, 
courageous expres- 
sion. 

Lofty, aspiring 
glance. 

Actor should hesitate 
here as if thinking of 
some lovely thing that 
she would choose to 
be. 

Point high as toward 
temple. 

A happy satisfied ex- 
pression with caress- 
ing of an imaginary 
vase. 

The clay now in the 
form of a rough red 
flower-pot is placed 
on board or floor 
near at hand. The 
actor, not looking to- 
ward it enacts a 
scene representing 
cool air, blue sky. 
Resignation and quiet 
contentment. 

Points to imaginary 
water. 





A HANDFUL OF CLAY 


101 


blit calm enough to reflect, with impar- 
tial truth, every image that fell upon it. 
There, for the first time as it was lifted 
from the board, the clay saw its new 
shape, the reward of all its patience and 
pain, the consummation of its hopes — a 
common flower-pot, straight and stiff, 
red and ugly. And then it felt that it 
was not destined for a king’s house, nor 
for a palace of art, because it was made 
without glory or beauty or honor; and 
it murmured against the unknown maker, 
saying, ‘ ‘ Why hast thou made me thus ? ’ ’ 


Many days it passed in sullen discon- 
tent. Then it was filled with earth and 
something, it knew not what — but some- 
thing rough and brown and dead-look- 
ing, was thrust into the middle of the 
earth and covered over. The clay re- 
belled at this new disgrace. 1 1 This is the 
worst of all that has happened to me, to 
be filled with dirt and rubbish. Surely 
I am a failure.” 

Fourth Speaker. But presently it 
was set in a green-house, where the sun- 
light fell warm upon it and water was 
sprinkled over, and day by day as it 
waited, a change began to come to it. 
Something was stirring within it — a new 
hope. Still it was ignorant, and knew 
not what the new hope meant. 


Lifts the real flower- 
pot. 


Attitude of despair 
and music, low 
grumbling, discord- 
ant. 

Holds out straight the 
flower-pot. 


Anger and disap- 
pointment and mur- 
muring expressed in 
face of actor and 
voice of speaker. 
Motion of filling. 
Place bulb in pot. 


Expression of disgust 
and scorn. 


Expression of rebel- 
lion, despair and 
hopelessness. 

Set down the flower- 
pot. 

Point to sun. 


Expression of mys- 
tery and wonder. 
Eyes opening wider 
and wider with ques- 
tioning expression. 


102 


A HANDFUL OF CLAY 


One day the clay was lifted again from 
its place, and carried into a great church. 
Its dream was coming true after all. It 
had a fine part to play in the world. 
Glorious music flowed over it. It was 
surrounded with flowers. Still it could 
not understand. So it whispered to an- 
other vessel of clay, like itself, close be- 
side it, “Why have they set me here? 
Why do all the people look toward us ? ’ ’ 
And the other vessel answered, “Do you 
not know? You are carrying a royal 
scepter of lilies. Their petals are white 
as snow, and the heart of them is like 
pure gold. The people look this way 
because the flower is the most wonderful 
in the world. And the root of it is in 
your heart.’ ’ 

Then the clay was content, and silently 
thanked its maker because, though an 
earthen vessel, it held so great a treasure. 


Expression of all 
combined: — mystery, 
questioning, awaken- 
ing, disappointment, 
ignorance. 

A pot of lilies in full 
bloom must be substi- 
tuted now for the 
empty clay pot. Actor 
stands hesitatingly 
and needs not much 
facial expression here, 
but the music must 
be very expressive. 
As the lilies advance 
into the church mu- 
sic must express 
march of purpose 
and success and 
glory. 

“Glorious music flow- 
ed over it” — the 
actor stands bewil- 
dered and wondering. 
Slowly raises the pot 
and sets it off from 
herself and for the 
first time scans it in- 
quiringly. 

Expression of serene 
happiness, with arms 
dropped to full length 
holding pot of lilies. 
Then with uplifted 
face and eyes full of 
contentment the actor 
slowly moves back- 
ward out of sight, 
while music, full and 
resounding, rolls out. 
Closing measures of 
A. Sullivan’s music 
“The Lost Chord” 
may be used at this 
point. 


FINIS 


LADY OF THE LAKE 

By Sir Walter Scott. 

Arranged by Anna M. Lutkenhaus. 

This dramatization was arranged in regular classroom work by 
an eighth-year class, the children eagerly looking for and choosing 
the parts to be acted. 

Time needed for production: one hour. 













































LADY OF THE LAKE 

PROLOGUE 

[Recited by Class.] 

Harp of the North ! that moldering long hast hung 
On the witch-elm. that shades Saint Fillan ’s spring, 
And down the fitful breeze thy numbers flung, 

Till envious ivy did around thee cling, 

Muffling with verdant ringlet every string, — 

0 Minstrel Harp, still must thine accents sleep ? 
Mid rustling leaves and fountains murmuring, 

Still must thy sweeter sounds their silence keep, 
Nor bid a warrior smile, nor teach a maid to weep ? 

0, wake once more ! how rude soe’er the hand 
That ventures o’er thy magic maze to stray; 

0, wake once more ! though scarce my skill command 
Some feeble echoing of thine earlier lay : 

Though harsh and faint, and soon to die away, 

And all unworthy of thy nobler strain, 

Yet if one heart throb higher at its sway, 

The wizard note has not been touched in vain. 
Then silent be no more ! Enchantress, wake again ! 

FIRST SCENE 

James Fitz- James. [Looking down.] 

1 little thought, when first thy rein 
I slacked upon the banks of Seine, 

That Highland eagle e’er should feed 
On thy fleet limbs, my matchless steed ! 

105 


106 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


Woe worth the chase, woe worth the day, 

That costs thy life, my gallant gray ! 

[/Stfeps forward and looks around.] 

What a scene were here, 

For princely pomp or churchman’s pride! 

On this bold brow, a lordly tower ; 

In that soft vale, a lady’s bower; 

On yonder meadow far away 
The turrets of a cloister gray; 

How blithely might the bugle-horn 
Chide on the lake the lingering morn ! 

Blithe were it then to wander here! 

But now — beshrew yon nimble deer! — 

Like that same hermit’s, thin and spare, 

The copse must give my evening fare ; 

Some mossy bank my couch must be, 

Some rustling oak my canopy. 

Yet pass we that ; the war and chase 
Give little choice of resting-place; — 

A summer night in greenwood spent 
Were but to-morrow’s merriment: 

But hosts may in these wilds abound, 

Such as are better missed than found ; 

To meet with Highland plunderers here 
Were worse than loss of steed or deer. — 

I am alone; — my bugle strain [Blows bugle.] 

May call some straggler of the train ; 

Or, fall the worst that may betide, 

Ere now this falchion has been tried. 

[As the bugle is blown, Ellen comes slowly up the aisle 
( the lake).] 

Ellen. Father! [Waits a second.] 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


107 


Malcolm, was thine the blast ? [Much more softly.] 

James Fitz- James. A stranger I. 

Ellen. [ Starts lack half frightened.] 

Our Highland halls are open still 
To wildered wanderers of the hill. 

Nor think you unexpected come 
To yon lone isle, our desert home ; 

Before the heath had lost the dew, 

This morn, a couch was pulled for you; 

On yonder mountain’s purple head 
Have ptarmigan and heath-cock bled, 

And our broad nets have swept the mere, 

To furnish forth your evening cheer. 

James Fitz- James. 

Now, by the rood, my lovely maid, 

Your courtesy has erred, 

No right have I to claim, misplaced, 

The welcome of expected guest. 

A wanderer, here by fortune tost, 

My way, my friends, my courser lost, 

I ne ’er before, believe me, fair, 

Have ever drawn your mountain air, 

Till on this lake ’s romantic strand 
I found a fay in fairy land ! 

Ellen. [Advancing nearer.] 

I well believe, 

I well believe, that ne’er before 
Your foot has trod Loch Katrine’s shore ; 

But yet, as far as yesternight 

Old Allan-bane foretold your plight, — 


108 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


A gray-haired sire, whose eye intent 
Was on the visioned future bent. 

He saw your steed, a dappled gray, 

Lie dead beneath the birchen way; 

Painted exact your form and mien, 

Your hunting-suit of Lincoln green, 

That tasseled horn so gaily gilt, 

That falchion’s crooked blade and hilt, 

That cap with heron plumage trim, 

And yon two hounds so dark and grim. 

He hade that all should ready he 
To grace a guest of fair degree ; 

But light I held his prophecy, 

And deemed it was my father ’s horn 
Whose echoes o’er the lake were borne. 

James Fitz-J ames. [Smiling.] 

Since to your home 
A destined errant-knight I come, 

Announced hy prophet sooth apd old, 

Doomed, doubtless, for achievement bold, 

I ’ll lightly front each high emprise 
For one kind glance of those bright eyes. 

Permit me first the task to guide 
Your fairy frigate o’er the tide. 

[They walk slowly down the aisle. Middle part of room, 
her home.] 

Ellen. 

On heaven and on thy lady call, 

And enter the enchanted hall ! 


LADY OP THE LAKE 


109 


James Fitz-James. 

My hope, my heaven, my trust must be, 

My gentle guide, in following thee! 

[As they enter the sword falls with a loud clang. James 
Fitz- James picks it up, looks at it and speaks.] 

I never knew but one, 

Whose stalwart arm might brook to wield 
A blade like this in battlefield. 

Ellen. [Taking sword.] 

You see the guardian champion’s sword. 

[Lady Margaret enters.] 


Ellen. [Turning to her.] 

A lonely wanderer on our isle. 

James Fitz-James. [Bowing.] 

I am the Knight of Snowdoun, James Fitz-James; 
Lord of a barren heritage, 

Which my brave sires, from age to age, 

By their good swords had held with toil ; 

My sire had fallen in such turmoil, 

And I, God wot, was forced to stand 
Oft for my right with blade in hand. 

This morning with Lord Moray’s train 
I chased a stalwart stag in vain, 

Outstripped my comrades, missed the deer, 

Lost my good steed, and wandered here. 

[Lady Margaret graciously leads them out.] 


110 


LADY OF THE LAKH 


SECOND SCENE 

[James Fitz- James, half -reclining, asleep. Ellen 
stands at one side.'] 

Ellen. [Sung to the music of Gottschalk’s “Last 
Hope.” The music suitable for the song was found and 
taught by Miss Joseph, a teacher in P. S. 15, Manhattan. 
The music in Harmonic Fourth Header, page 92, may be 
used.] 


SONG 

Soldier, rest! thy warfare o’er, 

Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking ; 
Dream of battled fields no more, 

Days of danger, nights of waking. 

In our isle’s enchanted hall, 

Hands unseen thy couch are strewing, 
Fairy strains of music fall, 

Every sense in slumber dewing, 

Soldier, rest! thy warfare o’er, 

Dream of fighting fields no more ; 

Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking, 
Morn of toil, nor night of waking. 


THIRD SCENE 

[Old Allan-bane sitting on a rock — soap-box covered with 
brown paper; and Ellen sitting near. They are look- 
ing down the lake.] 

Class. 

And while yon little bark glides down the bay, 
Wafting the stranger on his way again, 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


111 


Morn ’s genial influence roused a minstrel gray, 

And sweetly o ’er the lake was heard thy strain, 
Mixed with the sounding harp, 0 white-haired 
Allan-bane ! 

Allan-bane. [Singing, touching harp once in a while . 
Music — “Maryland, My Maryland.”] 

But if beneath yon southern sky 
A plaided stranger roam, 

Whose drooping crest and stifled sigh, 

And sunken cheek and heavy eye,. 

Pine for his Highland home; 

Then, warrior, then be thine to show 
The care that soothes a wanderer’s woe; 
Remember then thy hap erewhile, 

A stranger in the lonely isle. 

Or if on life’s uncertain main 
Mishap shall mar thy sail; 

If faithful, wise, and brave in vain, 

Woe, want, and exile thou sustain 
Beneath the fickle gale; 

Waste not a sigh on fortune changed, 

On thankless courts, or friends estranged, 

But come where kindred worth shall smile, 

To greet thee in the lonely isle. 

Ellen. [Sitting pensively.] 

Wake, Allan-bane, 

[To the old minstrel by her side — ] 

Arouse thee from thy moody dream ! 

I ’ll give thy harp heroic theme, 

And warm thee with a noble name; 

Pour forth the glory of the Graeme ! 


112 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


Allan-bane. 

Vainly thou bidst, 0 noble maid, 

[Clasping his withered hands] 

Vainly thou bidst me wake the strain, 
Though all unwont to bid in vain. 

Alas ! than mine a mightier hand 
Has tuned my harp, my strings has spanned 
I touch the chords of joy, but low 
And mournful answer notes of woe; 

And the proud march which victors tread 
Sinks in the wailing for the dead. 

O, well for me, if mine alone 
That dirge’s deep prophetic tone! 

If, as my tuneful fathers said, 

This harp, which erst Saint Modan swayed, 
Can thus its master’s fate foretell, 

Then welcome be the minstrel ’s knell ! 

O ! if yet worse mishap and woe 
My master’s house must undergo, 

Or aught but weal to Ellen fair 
Brood in these accents of despair, 

No future bard, sad Harp ! shall fling 
Triumph or rapture from thy string; 

One short, one final strain shall flow, 
Fraught with unutterable woe, 

Then shivered shall thy fragments lie, 

Thy master cast him down and die ! 

Ellen. 

Assuage, 

Mine honored friend, the fears of age; 

For me [she stooped , and, looking round , 
Plucked a blue harebell from the ground], 
For me, whose memory scarce conveys 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


113 


An image of more splendid days, 

This little flower that loves the lea 
May well my simple emblem be; 

It drinks heaven’s dew as blithe as rose 
That in the King’s own garden grows; 

And when I place it in my hair, 

Allan, a bard is bound to swear 
He ne’er saw coronet so fair. 

[Then playfully the chaplet wild 
She wreathed in her dark locks, and smiled]. 
Allan-bane. 

Loveliest and best! thou little know’st 
The rank, the honors, thou hast lost! 

O, might I live to see thee grace, 

In Scotland’s court, thy birthright place, 

To see my favorite’s step advance 
The lightest in the courtly dance, 

The cause of every gallant’s sigh, 

And leading star of every eye, 

And theme of every minstrel’s art, 

The Lady of the Bleeding Heart! 

Ellen. 

Fair dreams are these, 

[Light was her accent , yet she sighed] , 

Yet is this mossy rock to me 
Worth splendid chair and canopy; 

Nor would my footstep spring more gay 
In courtly dance than blithe strathspey, 

Nor half so pleased mine ear incline 
To royal minstrel’s lay as thine. 

And then for suitors proud and high, 

To bend before my conquering eye, — 

Thou, flattering bard! thyself wilt say, 


114 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


That grim Sir Roderick owns its sway. 

The Saxon scourge, Clan- Alpine ’s pride, 

The terror of Loch Lomond’s side, 

Would, at my suit, thou know’st, delay 
A Lennox foray — for a day. 

Allan-bane. 

Ill hast thou chosen theme for jest ! 

For who, through all this western wild, 
Named Black Sir Roderick e’er, and smiled? 
In Holy-Rood a knight he slew ; 

I saw, when back the dirk he drew, 

Courtiers give place before the stride 
Of the undaunted homicide; 

And since, though outlawed, hath his hand 
Full sternly kept his mountain land. 

Who else dared give — ah; woe the day, 

That I such hated truth should say !■ — 

The Douglas, like a stricken deer, 

Disowned by every noble peer, 

Even the rude refuge we have here? 

Yet, 0 loved maid, thy mirth refrain! 

Thy hand is on a lion’s mane. 

Ellen. 

Minstrel [and high 

Her father’s soul glanced from her eye], 

My debts to Roderick’s house I know: 

All that a mother could bestow 
To Lady Margaret’s care I owe, 

Since first an orphan in the wild 
She sorrowed o’er her sister’s child; 

To her brave chieftain son, from ire 
Of Scotland’s King who shrouds my sire, 

A deeper, holier debt is owed; 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


115 


And could I pay it with my blood, 

Allan! Sir Roderick should command 
My blood, my life, — but not my hand. 

Rather will Ellen Douglas dwell 
A votaress in Maronnan’s cell; 

Rather through realms beyond the sea, 

Seeking the world’s cold charity, 

Where ne’er was spoke a Scottish word, 

And ne’er the name of Douglas heard, 

An outcast pilgrim will she rove, 

Than wed the man she cannot love. 

[Soft music.] 


FOURTH SCENE 

Class. 

Far up the lengthened lake were spied 
Four darkening specks upon the tide. 

[Class sings. Music — Lohengrin 9 s Wedding March.] 

boat SONG 

Hail to the Chief who in triumph advances ! 

Honored and blest be the ever-green Pine ! 
Long may the tree, in his banner that glances, 
Flourish, the shelter and grace of our line ! 
Heaven send it happy dew, 

Earth lend it sap anew, 

Gaily to bourgeon and broadly to grow, 

While every Highland glen 
Sends our shout back again, 

“Roderigh Yich Alpine dhu, ho! ieroe!” 

Lady Margaret. [ Coming up to Ellen.] 


116 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


Come, loiterer, come! a Douglas thou, 

And shun to wreathe a victor’s brow? 

Ellen. [Very reluctant, starts, then stops suddenly 
as she hears her father’s bugle . ] 

List, Allan-bane! From mainland cast 
I hear my father’s signal blast. 

Be ours, the skiff to guide, 

And waft him from the mountain-side. 

Douglas. Ellen ! 

Ellen. Father. [Embrace.] 

Douglas. [Turning and placing hand on Malcolm’s 
shoulder.] 

Canst thou, young friend, no meaning spy 
In my poor follower’s glistening eye? 

I ’ll tell thee : — he recalls the day 
When in my praise he led the lay 
O’er the arched gate of Bothwell proud, 

While many a minstrel answered loud, 

When Percy’s Norman pennon, won 
In bloody field, before me shone, 

And twice ten knights, the least a name 
As mighty as yon Chief may claim, 

Gracing my pomp, behind me came. 

Yet trust me, Malcolm, not so proud 
Was I of all that marshaled crowd, 

Though the waned crescent owned my might, 

And in my train trooped lord and knight, 

Though Blantyre hymned her holiest lays, 

And Bothwell ’s bards flung back my praise. 

As when this old man’s silent tear, 

And this poor maid’s affection dear, 

A welcome give more kind and true 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


117 


Than aught my better fortunes knew. 
Forgive, my friend, a father’s boast, — 

0, it out-beggars all I lost! 

Ellen. 

0 my sire! 

Why urge thy chase so far away? 

And why so late returned? And why — 

Douglas. 

My child, the chase I follow far, 

’T is mimicry of noble war ; 

And with that gallant pastime reft 
Were all of Douglas I have left. 

1 met young Malcolm as I strayed 
Far eastward, in Glenfinlas’ shade; 

Nor strayed I safe, for all around 
Hunters and horsemen scoured the ground. 
This youth, though still a royal ward, 

Risked life and land to be my guard, 

And through the passes of the wood 
Guided my steps, not unpursued; 

And Roderick shall his welcome make, 

Despite old spleen, for Douglas’ sake. 

Then must he seek Strath-Endrick glen, 

Nor peril aught for me again. 

FIFTH SCENE 

[All in Roderick’s home.] 

Roderick Dhu. [Standing and looking around.] 
Short be my speech; — nor time affords, 

Nor my plain temper, glozing words. 

Kinsman and father, — if such name 


118 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


Douglas vouchsafe to Roderick’s claim; 
Mine honored mother; — Ellen, — why, 

My cousin, turn away thine eye? — 

And Gragme, in whom I hope to know 
Full soon a noble friend or foe, 

When age shall give thee thy command, 
And leading in thy native land, — 

List all! — The King’s vindictive pride 
Boasts to have tamed the Border-side, 

So faithless and so ruthless known, 

Now hither comes; his end the same, 

The same pretext of sylvan game. 

What grace for Highland Chiefs, judge ye 
By fate of Border chivalry. 

Yet more; amid Glenfinlas’ green, 

Douglas, thy stately form was seen. 

This by espial sure I know : 

Your counsel in the streight I show. 
Douglas. 

Brave Roderick, though the tempest roar, 

It may but thunder and pass o’er; 

Nor will I here remain an hour, 

To draw the lightning on thy bower; 

Ellen and I will seek apart 
The refuge of some forest cell, 

There, like the hunted quarry, dwell, 

Till on the mountain and the moor 
The stern pursuit be passed and o’er. 
Roderick Dhu. 

No, by mine honor, 

So help me Heaven, and my good blade ! 
No, never! Blasted be yon Pine, 

My father’s ancient crest and mine, 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


119 


If from its shade in danger part 
The lineage of the Bleeding Heart ! 

Hear my blunt speech : grant me this maid 
To wife, thy counsel to mine aid; 

To Douglas, leagued with Roderick Dhu, 
Will friends and allies flock enow ; 

Like cause of doubt, distrust, and grief, 
Will bind to us each Western Chief. 

When the loud pipes my bridal tell, 

The Links of Forth shall hear the knell, 

The guards shall start in Stirling’s porch; 
And when I light the nuptial torch, 

A thousand villages in flames 

Shall scare the slumbers of King James! — 

Nay, Ellen, blench not thus away, 

And, mother, cease these signs, I pray; 

I meant not all my heat might say. — 

Small need of inroad or of fight, 

When the sage Douglas may unite 
Each mountain clan in friendly band, 

To guard the passes of their land, 

Till the foiled King from pathless glen 
Shall bootless turn him home again. 
Douglas. 

Roderick, enough! enough! 

My daughter cannot be thy bride; 

Not that the blush to wooer dear, 

Nor paleness that of maiden fear. 

It may not be, — forgive her, Chief, 

Nor hazard aught for our relief. 

Against his sovereign, Douglas ne’er 
Will level a rebellious spear. 

’T was I that taught his youthful hand 


120 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


To rein a steed and wield a brand ; 

I see him yet, the princely hoy ! 

Not Ellen more my pride and joy; 

I love him still, despite my wrongs 
By hasty wrath and slanderous tongues. 

0, seek the grace you well may find, 

Without a cause to mine combined! 

[Ellen goes out. Malcolm starts to follow her.] 

Roderick Dhu. 

Back, beardless boy! 

Back, minion ! holdst thou thus at naught 
The lesson I so lately taught? 

This roof, the Douglas, and that maid, 

Thank thou for punishment delayed. 

Douglas. 

Chieftains, forego ! 

I hold the first who strikes my foe. — 

Madmen, forbear your frantic jar! 

What! is the Douglas fallen so far, 

His daughter’s hand is deemed the spoil 
Of such dishonorable broil? 

Roderick Dhu. [Speaking to Malcolm.] 

Rest safe till morning; pity ’twere 
Such cheek should feel the midnight air ! 

Malise, what ho! [His henchmen came.] 

Give our safe-conduct to the Graeme. 

Malcolm Grjeme. 

Fear nothing for thy favorite hold; 

The spot an angel deigned to grace 
Is blessed, though robbers haunt the place. 
Chieftain! we too shall find an hour. 

[Passes out with Malise.] 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


121 


Tell Roderick Dhu I owed him naught, 
Not the poor service of a boat, 

To waft me to yon mountain-side. 


SIXTH SCENE 
In Goblin Cave. 

Class. 

Where is the Douglas? — he is gone; 

And Ellen sits on the gray stone 
Fast by the cave, and makes her moan. 

Allan-bane. 

He will return — dear lady, trust! — 

With joy return; — he will — he must. 

Ellen. 

Alas! he goes to Scotland’s throne, 

Buys his friends ’ safety with his own ; 

He goes to do — what I had done, 

Had Douglas’ daughter been his son! 

Class. 

Just as the minstrel sounds were stayed, 

A stranger climbed the steepy glade ; 

His martial step, his stately mien, 

His hunting-suit of Lincoln green, 

His eagle glance, remembrance claims — 

’T is Snowdoun’s Knight, ’tis James Fitz- 
J ames. 

Ellen. 

0 stranger! in such hour of fear 
What evil hap has brought thee here? 


122 


LADY OP THE LAKE 


James Fitz-James. 

An evil hap, how can it be 
That bids me look again on thee? 

By promise bound, my former guide 
Met me betimes this morning-tide, 

And marshaled over bank and bourne 
The happy path of my return. 

Ellen. 

The happy path! — what! — said he naught 
Of war, of battle to be fought, 

Of guarded pass? 

James Fitz-James. 

No, by my faith ! 

Nor saw I aught could augur scathe. 
Ellen. 

0 haste thee, Allan, to the kern : 

Yonder his tartans I discern; 

Learn thou his purpose, and conjure 
That he will guide the stranger sure ! — 
What prompted thee, unhappy man ? 

The meanest serf in Roderick’s clan 
Had not been bribed, by love or fear, 
Unknown to him to guide thee here. 

James Fitz-James. 

Sween Ellen, dear my life must be, 

Since it is worthy care from thee; 

Yet life I hold but idle breath 

When love or honor ’s weighed with death. 

Then let me profit by my chance, 

And speak my purpose bold at once. 

1 come to bear thee from a wild 
Where ne’er before such blossom smiled, 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


123 


By this soft hand to lead thee far 
From frantic scenes of feud and war. 

Near Bochastle my horses wait ; 

They bear us soon to Stirling gate. 

I 11 place thee in a lovely bower, 

I 11 guard thee like a tender flower — 

Ellen. 

0 hush, Sir Knight! ’twere female art, 

To say I do not read thy heart; 

Too much, before, my selfish ear 
Was idly soothed my praise to hear. 

That fatal bait hath lured thee back, 

In deathful hour, o’er dangerous track; 

And how, 0 how, can I atone 
The wreck my vanity brought on ! — 

One way remains — I 11 tell him all — 

Yes ! struggling bosom, forth it shall ! 

Thou, whose light folly bears the blame, 

Buy thine own pardon with thy shame! 

But first — my father is a man 
Outlawed and exiled under ban ; 

The price of blood is on his head, 

With me 1 were infamy to wed. 

Still wouldst thou speak ? — then hear the truth ! 
Fitz- J ames, there is a noble youth — 

If yet he is ! — exposed for me 
And mine to dread extremity — 

Thou hast the secret of my heart ; 

Forgive, be generous, and depart! 

James Fitz-James. 

Hear, lady, yet a parting word! — 

It chanced in fight that my poor sword 


124 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


Preserved the life of Scotland’s lord. 

This ring the grateful Monarch gave, 

And bade, when I had boon to crave, 

To bring it back, and boldly claim 
The recompense that I would name. 

Ellen, I am no courtly lord, 

But one who lives by lance and sword, 

Whose castle is his helm and shield, 

His lordship the embattled field. 

What from a prince can I demand, 

Who neither reck of state nor land? 

Ellen, thy hand — the ring is thine; 

Each guard and usher knows the sign. 

Seek thou the King without delay; 

This signet shall secure thy way: 

And claim thy suit, whate’er it be, 

As ransom of his pledge to me. 

[He placed the golden circlet on , 

Paused — kissed her hand — and then was gone , 


SEVENTH SCENE 

Mad Blanche Scene 

James Fitz-James. 

Murdoch ! was that a signal cry ? — 

Red Murdoch. [The guide.] 

I shout to scare 

Yon raven from his dainty fare. 

James Fitz-James. [Looks at his dead horse.] 
[He looked — he knew the raven’s prey , 
His own brave steed] : Ah ! gallant gray ! 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


125 


For thee — for me, perchance — ’twere well 
"We ne’er had seen the Trosachs’ dell. — 

Murdoch, move first — hut silently; 

Whistle or whoop, and thou shalt die! 

Mad Blanche. [Standing on a box ; hair flowing , etc.; 
sings. Music of “The Tyrolese and His Child.”] 
SONG 

They hid me sleep, they bid me pray, 

They say my brain is warped and wrung, — 

I cannot sleep on Highland brae, 

I cannot pray in Highland tongue. 

But were I now where Allan glides, 

Or heard my native Devan’s tides, 

So sweetly would I rest, and pray 
That Heaven would close my wint’ry day! 

’T was thus my hair they bade me braid, 

They made me to the church repair; 

It was my bridal morn, they said, 

And my true love would meet me there. 

But woe betide the cruel guile 

That drowned in blood the morning smile! 

And woe betide the fairy dream! 

I only waked to sob and scream. 

James Fitz-James. 

Who is this maid? what means her lay? 

She hovers o’er the hollow way, 

And flutters wide her mantle gray, 

As the lone heron spreads his wing, 

By twilight, o’er a haunted spring. 

Red Murdoch. [Raises his bow and arrow.] 

’T is Blanche of Devan, 


126 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


A crazed and captive Lowland maid, 

Ta’en on the morn she was a bride, 

When Roderick forayed Devan-side. 

The gay bridegroom resistance made, 

And felt onr Chief’s unconquered blade. 

I marvel she is now at large, 

But oft she ’scapes from Maudlin’s charge. — 
Hence, brain-sick fool! 

James Fitz- James. 

Now, if thou strik’st her but one blow, 

I ’ll pitch thee from the cliff as far 
As ever peasant pitched a bar ! 

Mad Blanche. 

Thanks, champion, thanks! 

[And pressed her to Fitz- James’s side.] 

See the gray pennons I prepare, [holds up feathers.] 
To seek my true love through the air! 

I will not lend that savage groom, 

To break his fall, one downy plume ! 

No! — deep amid disjointed stones, 

The wolves shall batten on his bones, 

And then shall his detested plaid, 

By bush and brier in mid-air stayed, 

Wave forth a banner fair and free, 

Meet signal for their revelry. 

James Fitz- James. 

Hush thee, poor maiden, and be still! 

Mad Blanche. 

0 ! thou look’st kindly, and I will. 

Mine eye has dried and wasted been, 

But still it loves the Lincoln green ; 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


127 


And, though mine ear is all unstrung, 

Still, still it loves the Lowland tongue. 

[Chants.] 

For 0 my sweet William was forester true, 

He stole poor Blanched heart away! 

His coat it was all of the greenwood hue, 

And so blithely he trilled the Lowland lay ! 

It was not that I meant to tell . . . 

But thou art wise and guessest well. 

The toils are pitched, and the stakes are set, — 

Ever sing merrily, merrily; 

The bows they bend, and the knives they whet, 
Hunters live so cheerily. 

It was a stag, a stag of ten, 

Bearing its branches sturdily ; 

He came stately down the glen, — 

Ever sing hardily, hardily. 

It was there he met with a wounded doe, 

She was bleeding deathfully; 

She warned him of the toils below, 

0, so faithfully, faithfully ! 

He had an eye, and he could heed, — 

Ever sing warily, warily; 

He had a foot, and he could speed, — 

Hunters watch so narrowly. 

James Fitz- James. [To Red Murdock.] 

Disclose thy treachery, or die ! 

[Red Murdock raises bow and arrow, aims at James 


128 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


Fitz- James and hits Blanche. James Fitz- James 
follows and hills him. Then returns to Mad Blanche.] 

Mad Blanche. 

Stranger, it is in vhin. 

This hour of death has given me more 
Of reason’s power than years before; 

For, as these ebbing veins decay, 

My frenzied visions fade away. 

A helpless injured wretch I die, 

And something tells me in thine eye 
That thou wert mine avenger born. 

Seest thou this tress ? — 0, still I ’ve worn 
This little tress of yellow hair, 

Through danger, frenzy, and despair ! 

It once was bright and clear as thine, 

But blood and tears have dimmed its shine. 

I will not tell thee when ’t was shred, 

Nor from what guiltless victim’s head, — 

My brain would turn ! — but it shall wave 
Like plumage on thy helmet brave, 

Till sun and wind shall bleach the stain, 

And thou wilt bring it me again. 

I waver still. — 0 God ! more bright 
Let reason beam her parting light! — 

O, by thy knighthood’s honored sign, 

And for thy life preserved by mine, 

When thou shalt see a darksome man, 

Who boasts him Chief of Alpine’s Clan, 

With tartans broad and shadowy plume, 

And hand of blood, and brow of gloom, 

Be thy heart bold, thy weapons strong, 

And wreak poor Blanche of Devan ’s wrong ! — 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


129 


They watch for thee by pass and fell . . . 

Avoid the path ... 0 God! . . . farewell. 

[Dies.] 

James Fitz-James. 

God, in my need, be my relief, 

As I wreak this on yonder Chief ! 


EIGHTH SCENE 
The Meeting 

Roderick Dhu. 

Thy name and purpose ! Saxon, stand ! 

James Fitz-James. 

A stranger. 

Roderick Dhu. 

What dost thou require? 

James Fitz-James. 

Rest and a guide, and food and fire. 

My life’s beset, my path is lost, 

The gale has chilled my limbs with frost. 

Roderick Dhu. 

Art thou a friend to Roderick? 

James Fitz-James. 

No. 

Roderick Dhu. 

Thou dar’st not call thyself a foe? 

James Fitz-James. 

I dare ! to him and all the band 
He brings to aid his murderous hand. 
Come Roderick Dhu, 

And of his clan the boldest two, 


130 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


And let me but till morning rest, 

I write the falsehood on their crest. 

Roderick Dhu. 

If by the blaze I mark aright, 

Thon bear’st the belt and spur of Knight. 

James Fitz-James. 

Then by these tokens mayst thou know 
Each proud oppressor’s mortal foe. 

Roderick Dhu. 

Enough, enough ; sit down and share 
A soldier’s couch, a soldier’s fare. 

Stranger, I am to Roderick Dhu 
A clansman bora, a kinsman true; 

Each word against his honor spoke 
Demands of me avenging stroke ; 

Yet more, — upon thy fate, ’t is said, 

A mighty augury is laid. 

It rests with me to wind my horn, — 

Thou art with numbers overborne ; 

It rests with me, here, brand to brand, 

Worn as thou art, to bid thee stand: 

But, not for clan, nor kindred’s cause, 

Will I depart from honor’s laws; 

To assail a wearied man were shame, 

And stranger is a holy name ; 

Guidance and rest, and food and fire, 

In vain he never must require. 

Then rest thee here till dawn of day ; 

Myself will guide thee on the way, 

0 ’er stock and stone, through watch and ward, 
Till past Clan- Alpine ’s outmost guard, 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


131 


As far as Coilantogle ’s ford; 

From thence thy warrant is thy sword. 

James Fitz-James. 

I take thy courtesy, by heaven, 

As freely as ’t is nobly given ! 

Roderick Dhu. 

Well, rest thee; for the bittern’s cry 
Sings us the lake ’s wild lullaby. 


NINTH SCENE 

They Declare' Themselves 

Roderick Dhu. 

By what strange cause 

Did you seek these wilds, traversed by few, 

Without a pass from Roderick Dhu ? 

James Fitz-James. 

Brave Gael, my pass, in danger tried, 
Hangs in my belt and by my side ; 

Yet, sooth to tell, 

I dreamt not now to claim its aid. 

When here, but three days since, I came, 
Bewildered in pursuit of game, 

All seemed as peaceful and as still 
As the mist slumbering on yon hill; 

Thy dangerous Chief was then afar, 

Nor soon expected back from war. 

Thus said, at least, my mountain-guide, 
Though deep perchance the villain lied. 

Roderick Dhu. 

Yet why a second venture try? 


132 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


James Fitz- James. 

A warrior thou, and ask me why ! — 

Roderick Dhu. 

Thy secret kept, I urge thee not ; — 

Yet, ere again ye sought this spot, 

Say, heard ye naught of Lowland war, 
Against Clan- Alpine, raised by Mar ? 

James Fitz- James. 

No, by my word; — of bands prepared 
To guard King James’s sports I heard; 
Nor doubt I aught, but, when they hear 
This muster of the mountaineer, 

Their pennons will abroad be flung, 
Which else in Doune had peaceful hung. 
Warrior, but y ester-morn I knew 
Naught of thy Chieftain, Roderick Dhu, 
Save as an outlawed desperate man, 

The chief of a rebellious clan, 

Who, in the Regent’s court and sight, 
With ruffian dagger stabbed a knight; 
Yet this alone might from his part 
Sever each true and loyal heart. 

Roderick Dhu. 

Saxon, from yonder mountain high, 

I marked thee send delighted eye 
Far to the south and east, where lay, 
Extended in succession gay, 

Deep waving fields and pastures green, 
With gentle slopes and groves between : — 
Seek cause ’gainst Roderick Dhu? 

James Fitz-James. 

And, if I sought, 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


133 


Think ’st thou none could he brought? 

What deem ye of my path waylaid ? 

My life given o’er to ambuscade? 

I come with banner, brand, and bow, 

As leader seeks his mortal foe. 

For love-lorn swain in lady ’s bower 
Ne’er panted for the appointed hour, 

As I, until before me stand 
This rebel Chieftain and his band ! 

Roderick Dhu. 

Have then thy wish ! [Blows whistle.] 

[Interlude recited in rear of assembly room by a good 
speaker.] 

He whistled shrill, 

And he was answered from the hill ; 

Wild as the scream of the curlew, 

From crag to crag the signal flew. 

Instant, through copse and heath, arose 
Bonnets and spears and bended bows; 

On right, on left, above, below, 

Sprung up at once the lurking foe ; 

From shingles gray their lances start, 

The bracken bush sends forth the dart, 

The rushes and the willow-wand 
Are bristling into ax and brand, 

And every tuft of broom gives life 
To plaided warrior armed for strife. 

That whistle garrisoned the glen 
At once with full five hundred men. 

[Turn stand on defense during recitation.] 

Roderick Dhu. [At the whistle all the children in class , 
Scotch costume , suddenly stand up.] 


134 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


How say’st thou now? 

These are Clan- Alpine’s warriors true; 

And, Saxon — I am Roderick Dhu ! 

James Fitz- James. 

Come one, come all! this rock shall fly 
From its firm base as soon as I. 

[At a motion from Roderick Dhu all his warriors 
appear — sit down.] 

Roderick Dhu. 

Fear naught — nay, that I need not say — 

But — doubt not aught from mine array. 

Thou art my guest ; — I pledged my word 
As far as Coilantogle ford: 

So move we on; — I only meant 
To show the reed on which you leant, 

Deeming this path you might pursue 
Without a pass from Roderick Dhu. 


TENTH SCENE 

The Combat at Coilantogle Ford 
Roderick Dhu. 

Bold Saxon! to his promise just, 

Vich- Alpine has discharged his trust. 

This murderous Chief, this ruthless man, 
This head of a rebellious clan, 

Hath led thee safe, through watch and ward, 
Far past Clan- Alpine’s outmost guard. 

Now, man to man, and steel to steel, 

A Chieftain’s vengeance thou shalt feel. 

See, here all vantageless I stand, 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


135 


Armed like thyself with single brand ; 

For this is Coilantogle ford, 

And thou must keep thee with thy sword. 

James Fitz-James. [Hesitatingly.] 

I ne’er delayed, 

When f oeman bade me draw my blade ; 

Nay more, brave Chief, I vowed thy death ; 
Yet sure thy fair and generous faith, 

And my deep debt for life preserved, 

A better meed have well deserved : 

Can naught but blood our feud atone ? 

Are there no means? 

Roderick Dhu. 

No, stranger, none! 

And hear, — to fire thy flagging zeal, — 

The Saxon cause rests on thy steel ; 

For thus spoke Fate by prophet bred 
Between the living and the dead : 

“Who spills the foremost f oeman ’s life, 

His party conquers in the strife.” 

James Fitz-James. 

Then, by my word, 

The riddle is already read. 

Seek yonder brake beneath the cliff, — 

There lies Red Murdoch, stark and stiff. 
Thus Fate hath solved her prophecy; 
Then yield to Fate, and not to me. 

To James at Stirling let us go, 

When, if thou wilt be still his foe, 

Or if the King shall not agree 
To grant thee grace and favor free, 

I plight mine honor, oath, and word 


136 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


That, to thy native strengths restored, 

With each advantage shalt thou stand 
That aids thee now to guard thy land. 

Roderick Dhu. 

Soars thy presumption, then, so high, 
Because a wretched kern ye slew, 

Homage to name to Roderick Dhu? 

He yields not, he, to man nor Fate! 

Thou add’st but fuel to my hate; — 

My clansman’s blood demands revenge. 

Not yet prepared? — By heaven, I change 
My thought, and hold thy valor light 
As that of some vain carpet knight, 

Who ill deserved my courteous care, 

And whose best boast is but to wear 
A braid of his fair lady ’s hair. 

James Fitz- James. 

I thank thee, Roderick, for the word ! 

It nerves my heart, it steels my sword ; 

For I have sworn this braid to stain 
In the best blood that warms thy vein. 
Now, truce, farewell! and, ruth, begone! — 
Yet think not that by thee alone, 

Proud Chief! can courtesy be shown; 
Though not from copse, or heath, or cairn, 
Start at my whistle clansmen stern, 

Of this small horn one feeble blast 
Would fearful odds against thee cast. 

But fear not — doubt not — which thou wilt — 
We try this quarrel hilt to hilt. 


[They wrestle.] 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


137 


James Fitz-James. 

Now yield thee, or by Him who made 
The world, thy heart ’s blood dyes my blade ! 

Roderick Dhu. 

Thy threats, thy mercy, I defy ! 

Let recreant yield, who fears to die. 

[Roderick remains down, James Fitz-James stands.) 

Class. 

Ill fared it then with Roderick Dhu, 

The struggling foe may now unclasp 
The fainting Chief’s relaxing grasp; 

Unwounded from the dreadful close, 

But breathless all, Fitz-James arose. 


ELEVENTH SCENE 
[Stirling Castle.) 

Ellen and Allan-bane. [Meeting James Fitz-James 
outside of castle.) 

0 welcome, brave Fitz-James! 

How may an almost orphan maid 
Pay the deep debt — 

James Fitz-James. 

0 say not so! 

To me no gratitude you owe. 

Not mine, alas ! the boon to give, 

And bid thy noble father live ; 

1 can but be thy guide, sweet maid, 

With Scotland’s King thy suit to aid. 

[He leads her into the room where all stand with uncov- 
ered head, except James Fitz-James,] 


138 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


Class. 

He stood, in simple Lincoln green, 

The center of a glittering ring, — 

And Snowdoun’s Knight is Scotland’s King! 
[Ellen looks around in surprise and then kneels.] 

James Fitz- James. 

Yes, fair; the wandering poor Fitz-James, 

The fealty of Scotland claims. 

To him thy woes, thy wishes, bring; 

He will redeem his signet ring. 

Ask naught for Douglas — y ester even, 

His Prince and he have much forgiven ; 

Wrong hath he had from slanderous tongue, 

I, from his rebel kinsmen, wrong. 

What clouds thy misbelieving brow ? 

Lord James of Douglas, lend thine aid; 

Thou must confirm this doubting maid. 

Thou still dost hold 
That little talisman of gold, 

Pledge of my faith, Fitz-James ’s ring, — 

What seeks fair Ellen of the King? 

Ellen. [Slowly.] 

Roderick Dhu? 

James Fitz-James. 

Forbear thy suit ; — the King of kings 
Alone can stay life ’s parting wings. 

I know his heart, I know his hand, 

Have shared his cheer, and proved his brand ; — 
My fairest earldom would I give 
To bid Clan- Alpine’s Chieftain live ! 

Hast thou no other boon to crave? 

No other captive friend to save? 


LADY OF THE LAKE 


139 


[Ellen, Mushing, turns to her father, Douglas, gives 
him the ring and whispers to Malcolm.] 

James Fitz- James. 

Nay, then, my pledge has lost its force, 

And stubborn justice holds her course. 

Malcolm, come forth! — [and, at the word, 

Down kneeled the Graeme to Scotland’s Lord.] — 
For thee, rash youth, no suppliant sues, 

From thee may Vengeance claim her dues, 

Who, nurtured underneath our smile, 

Hast paid our care by treacherous wile, 

And sought amid thy faithful clan 
A refuge for an outlawed man, 

Dishonoring thus thy loyal name. — 

Fetters and warder for the Graeme ! 

[Throws chain around Malcolm’s neck and gives the 
other end of chain to Ellen.] 

EPILOGUE 

Class. 

Harp of the North, farewell ! 

Hark ! as my lingering footsteps slow retire, 

Some Spirit of the Air has waked thy string ! 

And now, ’t is silent all ! — Enchantress, fare thee well ! 





THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF 
GLENMALURE 

A Dramatization of Edmund Leamy’s “The Fairy Minstrel of Glen- 
malure, by Anna M. Lutkenhaus, Director of the Dramatic 
Club of Public School 15, Manhattan. By courtesy 
of Desmond- Fitzgerald Co., Publishers. 

This beautiful little story was brought to the attention of Miss 
Knox, Principal of Public School 15, Manhattan, by Mr. Walter 
Beers, representing the Desmond-Fitzgerald Co. She, instantly see- 
ing the possibility of it as a play for children, gave it to the Dra- 
matic Club. 


(By Courtesy of Desmond-Fitzgerald Co., Publishers.) 


CHARACTERS 


Kathleen, a tiny girl 

Emun, her brother — a tiny boy 

The Fairy Minstrel, the tiniest gentleman. A very small child, 
dressed in three-cornered black hat with red plume; a little 
black coat with long tails; red waistcoat; yellow knee-breeches; 
white stockings, little black slippers with gold buckles. Carries 
a reed. 

Mr. and Mrs. Magpie, two children dressed in white with black 
capes to represent wings; black peaked hats. 

Granny, girl dressed as old Irish woman 

Mother, girl dressed as young Irish woman 

Giant, very big child, dressed in red Roman tunic; large hat; carry- 
ing an immense stick. 

Band of Gallants and Prince Golden Hair, twenty-one small chil- 
dren, dressed in white; light green capes; light green caps. 

Place: In the Forest. 


THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF 
GLENMALURE 


FIRST SCENE 

[Emun lying on the ground ; Kathleen stitching the 
sleeve of her dolly’s dress.] 

Kathleen. Emun, do you believe that there are any 
real live fairies now? 

Emun. I don’t know. [A beech nut hits him on the 
nose. As he sits up the Fairy Minstrel dances in. He 
holds the reed as if playing. Beautiful, suitable, soft music 
on the piano is played whenever the Minstrel is seen.] 

Fairy Minstrel. [Dances around several times. Chil- 
dren gaze at him amazed.] Oh, you don’t, don’t you? 
[. Dances out.] 

Mr. Magpie. [Hopping out . ] Well, in all my born 
days, I never saw the like of that before. 

Kathleen. Oh, Emun, look ! There is a single magpie. 

Mrs. Magpie. [Hopping out.] There are some little 
girls that I know, who are in a very great hurry to speak 
sometimes. 

Emun. There are two magpies now, and two are for 
luck. 

Mr. Magpie. It is true for you, and both of you are in 
luck to-day. 

Emun. Who was that little man? 

143 


144 THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF GLENMALURE 


Mr. Magpie. He is Fardharrig, the Fairy Minstrel of 
Glenmalure. 

Kathleen. And what tune was he playing? 

Mrs. Magpie. He was playing 4 ‘The Wind in the 
Reeds.” It is a very sweet tune, but it is very sad, and 
it always makes me cry. [ Wipes her eyes.] Dear me, I 
am sorry I left my little lace handkerchief at home. [Puts 
head under wing. Mr. Magpie chuckles.] 

Mr. Magpie. It is a sad tune, indeed. But, oh! if you 
could hear him playing “The Bees among the Blossoms” 
you would never tire listening to it. 

Emun. And where could we hear him playing that? 

Mr. Magpie. If you go round there to the sunny side of 
the wood, and go in through the first mossy pathway you 
meet, maybe it won’t be long till you find him. 

Kathleen. Oh, come on, Emun! [Children run out , 
hand in hand.] 

[Magpies hop out. Mrs. Magpie taking with her Kath- 
leen’s silver thimble and sewing. Children run in.] 

Kathleen. This is surely the sunny side; see it glow 
on the pathway ! 

Emun. A rabbit ! Oh, let us catch it, Kathleen ! [As 
they start to run, Granny appears.] 

Granny. [Carrying milk pail.] Oh, botheration to 
you, you little rabbit, but you nearly knocked me down! 
[Sees children.] Dearie me, ’t is I am glad to see you, 
darlings; come home with me. [Sound of music as F a tr y 
Minstrel comes in.] 

Emun. Oh, what is he playing now? 


THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF GLENMALURE 145 


Granny. He is playing, ‘ ‘ Colleen dhas cruithin na-mo, ’ ’ 
‘‘The pretty girl milking the cows.” 

Emun. I never heard that tune before. 

Granny. Of course you never did, nor did any one else. 
He is making it up now in honor of Miss Kathleen; but it 
will be sung everywhere yet all over Erin by the milkmaids 
in the sunset on summer eves. Come with me now, into 
the summer-house. I have the nicest griddle-bread you 
ever tasted [in this part Emun and Kathleen show their 
childish delight in good things to eat], and the biggest and 
the sweetest blackberries, and you never drank any cream 
that is half so rich as this milk. 

Emun. And could the little minstrel man come with us? 

Granny. My darling boy, that ’s the very thing I should 
like, for I never let a minstrel pass my door, and have never 
sent one empty away. 

Kathleen. And may we both go and bring him in ? 

Granny. Of course, dearest, and I ’ll go and get ready 
the griddle-bread. [Goes back of screen. The children 
run up to Fairy Minstrel, who jumps up and doffs his 
plumed hat.] 

Kathleen. Will you come and lunch with us and 
Granny ? 

Fairy Minstrel. I shall be delighted, my lady. [Bows 
deeply. Granny comes out to meet them.] 

Granny. Welcome, and welcome again, Fardharrig ! 
[They all go behind screen and then come out again.] 

Granny. Dearie me! There was something I forgot. 
Could you guess what it was, Kathleen ? 


146 THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF GLENMALURE 


Kathleen. I don’t know — the dinner was so good — un- 
less it was honey. 

Granny. The very thing, and I am so sorry. 

Emun. I know what I should like. 

Granny. And what is it ? 

Emun. I should like to hear another tune from the little 
minstrel. 

Fairy Minstrel. [Pleased.] Oh, you would? What 
would you like? 

Emun. Will you play, “The Bees among the Blos- 
soms”? 

Fairy Minstrel. With the greatest pleasure. [Seats 
himself on high stand ; children and Granny group around 
him. Exquisite music played softly while another child , 
standing to the side , recites interlude.] 

Interlude. “At first the children could scarcely hear 
any sound, but the most wonderful perfume filled the sum- 
mer-house as of numberless sweet-scented flowers. But 
soon they began to hear a faint, drowsy hum, something 
like that which they were wont to hear up in the top boughs 
of the sweet-blossomed lime tree that grew near their house. 
And as they listened, the sound seemed to come nearer and 
nearer, and to shape itself into the most exquisite melody. 
And as it sank into their ears and into their hearts, the 
children stood as if they were fascinated, their eyes wide 
open, watching the little man. They hardly dared to 
breathe lest they might miss a note of the bewitching music. 
And they would have so stood forever, if the little man 
had not finished playing and put the reed in his pocket. ’ ’ 

Minstrel. [Jumping up.] I must be going. I see a 


THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF GLENMALURE 147 


crow out there from Glenmalure. I know he is from Glen- 
malure by the twist of his tail, and if I catch him in time 
he will give me a lift home. So good-by to you all now, 
and may good luck attend you and blessings shower down 
on you, and don ’t come further with me than the door, lest 
the crow would hear you, and take himself off. [Doffs his 
plumed hat and throws a kiss to Kathleen. Music — 
4 4 Over the Hills and Far Away. ’ ’] 

Kathleen. He is playing again. 

Emun. He is, and I know what he is playing. 

Granny. What is it? [Granny places the honey where 
the children will see it.] 

Emun. 4 * Over the Hills and Far Away.” 

Kathleen. [Turning.] Oh, my! Honey! Emun! 
honey! Where do you think it came from? 

Granny. Where do you think it came from? 

Kathleen. I don’t know. 

Emun. Neither do I, unless it was the bees among the 
blossoms that we heard in the little man’s music that 
brought it to us. 

Granny. You have guessed right, Emun, asthore. 

Kathleen. But why did we not see the bees? 

Granny. Because you could not take your eyes off the 
Fairy Minstrel’s face. 

Kathleen. That ’s really true. I thought my eyes 
were fastened to his. 

Emun. I thought so, too. [Children whisper to each 
other.] 


148 THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF GLENMALURE 


Granny. [Smiling.] What is it? Speak out and don’t 
be afraid. 

Emun. [Shyly.] We should like to take some of it 
home to little mother. 

Kathleen. We should. We always like to bring her 
home flowers and sweets, and everything that ’s nice. 

Granny. And you shall bring her home the honey too. 
[Takes out two tiny baskets and places in them the honey 
combs.] And now, I am sure you would like to get home 
to your little mother. 

Kathleen. We should, and we thank you for a very 
happy day. 

Granny. I can only go a little bit of the way with you, 
but I shall put you on the right track, and when you are 
once on it, don’t stop to look at anything, or maybe you 
would get into trouble. [Kisses and blesses them ; goes out. 
Children run off hand in hand and back again to center of 
stage.] 

Kathleen. Oh, Emun, Emun [pulling him back], what 
is that growing on the tree ? 

Emun. Come on, come on ; did not the little woman tell 
you not to stop ? 

Kathleen. Yes; but what is it? 

Emun. I think it is a wasp’s nest. Oh! Oh! [Chil- 
dren very frightened as sounds of buzzing , and “We ’ll 
sting you to death! We ’ll sting you to death!” Bzzzzzz! 
come from behind the scenes.] 

[Prince Golden Hair followed by his twenty gallants 
comes running out.] 


THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF GLENMALURE 149 


Prince Golden Hair. Will you sting them to death? 
Charge, my gallant knights [ all charge ], and don’t leave a 
wasp alive ! [While he is speaking , Granny rushes in.] 

Granny. Welcome, Prince Golden Hair! Welcome, my 
bonny outlaws of the woods of Glenmalure ! Now after your 
hard fight and great victory, I am sure you all want a drink 
of milk, so come along and take it! .[The band rush to the 
pail. Prince, very much annoyed, makes the gallants stand 
in line.] 

Prince Golden Hair. March round the pail in regular 
order, and as each one of you pass dip in your drinking 
horn. [Each knight takes from his belt a tiny drinking 
horn.] It will always be a great pleasure to me that we 
were able to save your lives. I am sorry that I cannot send 
an escort with you, but my outlaws and myself are bound 
to be back in Glenmalure before sunset. It is nearly that 
now, so we must go. [Shakes hands with Granny and 
Emun ; kisses Kathleen’s hand. March out.] 

Granny. Now, children, I wish I could go with you. 
But run as fast as ever you can, and don’t look to the right 
or to the left until you get out of this enchanted wood. 
Blessings on you again, Emun, asthore, and on you, Kath- 
leen, aroon. [Hugs each.] Run for your bare lives. 
[Children run and Granny goes out.] 

[A great noise is heard and the children are terribly 
frightened.] 

Giant. [Thumping with stick.] Ho! ho! [Very 
loud voice.] Who have we here? 

Emun. Two children, who are going home to their little 
mother. 

Giant. Home ! Home was never like this place. 


150 THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF GLENMALURE 


[Seizes a child with each hand. Stretches out on stage and 
goes asleep.] 

Kathleen. [Cuddling up close to Emun.] Oh, Emun, 
what will he do ? Will he eat us ? 

Emun. I don’t know, but if little mother were here she 
would save us. 

Kathleen. Do you think she would hear us calling her, 
Emun? You know she always heard us calling her, even 
when she used to be asleep. 

Emun. But she would not know where to find us, and 
maybe the giant would eat her too, and we should not like 
that? 

Kathleen. No, but listen. Emun, what is that ? 
Listen! [Very soft music.] 

Fairy Minstrel. [Coming up softly ; on higher stand.] 
Not a word out of you ; but whisper, and listen to me. The 
giant will start to have supper soon. And he will take the 
two of you and give you a chance for your lives; for he 
does that to all his prisoners. He will ask you, Emun, 
three riddles, and if you can answer the three right, he 
will let you go. If you can ’t, it will be all up with you. 

Emun. What are they ? 

Fairy Minstrel. I am sorry to say, I only know two he 
is sure to ask you. You must try to answer the third for 
yourself. 

Emun. What are the two ? 

Fairy Minstrel. The first is, “What is whiter than the 
snow of one night?” and the second is, “What is blacker 
than the blackest night ? ’ ’ 


THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF GLENMALURE 151 


Emun. And what are the answers to them? 

Fairy Minstrel. I beg your pardon, Miss Kathleen, for 
whispering in the presence of a lady, but I am under bonds 
never to tell these answers to more than one person at the 
same time, and that person is under a bond never to tell 
them to any one until he is asked the riddles by the giant. 
For if he should tell them, the giant would ask him other 
riddles which he could not answer, and he would be put to 
death. [Whispers to Emun.] I ’m sorry, my poor Emun, 
I can’t tell you the third answer, but if all goes to all, and 
you can’t think of it, try and remember what children see 
in their dreams in the darkness. And now, I must go, for 
if the giant discovered me here, he would make me a pris- 
oner for life. But keep up your hearts, and may blessings 
attend the two of you. 

Giant. [ Letting out some fearful roars, sits up.] Come 
now, before I cut you up for my supper, I shall give you 
three chances for your lives. Do you know what a riddle 
is?” 

Emun. I do. 

Giant. Well, I shall ask you three riddles, and if you 
answer the three right, this club will fall by itself, and the 
moment it falls you must fly for your lives, or I might be 
tempted to forego my word. Are you ready? 

Emun. Yes. 

Giant. First riddle then — “What is whiter than the 
snow of one night?” 

Emun. A soul without sin. 

Giant. [Very angry.]. Second riddle — “What is 
blacker than the blackest night ? ’ ’ 


152 THE FAIRY MINSTREL OF GLENMALURE 


Emun. A heart without gratitude. 

Giant. [Roaring in anger.] The third riddle, and re- 
member on your answer depends your lives — “What is 
brighter than the stars of night ?” [Emun looks worried.] 
I ’ll give you two minutes to answer. [Takes out frying 
pan with face of clock on back of it. Kathleen nestles up 
to Emun, tears running down her face.] One minute gone ! 
[Emun’s face must show different thoughts , and then the 
rejection of them.] A minute and a half gone! [Giant’s 
face much brighter.] A minute and three quarters gone ! 

Emun. [Suddenly jumping up.] I know it! [In a 
ringing voice.] 

Giant. [Very angry.] What is it, “What are brighter 
than the stars of night ? ’ 9 

Emun. A mother’s eyes! [Stick falls. Children run. 
Giant stalks out on other side.] 

Mother. [Calling.] Kathleen! Kathleen! Emun! 
Emun ! where are you ? 

Kathleen. Emun! Emun! that is mothereen! 

Emun. Hurrah ! Hurrah ! 

Mother. Where, where have you been, my darlings? 
[Putting arm around each.] 

Kathleen. Oh, mother, mother, Emun told the giant 
that a mother’s eyes are brighter than the stars of night, 
and now we know, — don’t we, Emun, — that her voice is 
sweeter than the music of the Fairy Minstrel of Glenmalure ? 
[Mother kisses them.] 


the end 


A NATURE PLAT IN A CITY SCHOOL 

Written for The Burroughs Nature Club * of Public School 188 and 
Public Schpol 15, Manhattan. 


* By permission of Houghton, Mifflin Company, the authorized publishers of 
John Burroughs’ Works. 


CHARACTERS 

Members of the Club, schoolchildren who read the books by John 
Burroughs and answer each week questions based on them 

Children Impersonating the Books by John Burroughs. ( Dressed 

in shields made to represent bookbindings, in blue similar to the 
binding of the set of John Burroughs’ books. On each shield is 
printed the name of the book it represents). 

Mollie, a new pupil in the school 


A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 

FIRST SCENE 

[Members of the club talking in groups.] 

Rebecca. [Yawning and stretching.] Well, I am tired. 
I do think arithmetic is a stupid subject. I am sure I 
should have gone to sleep this last period if I had not re- 
membered that we were to have a meeting of the Burroughs 
Club to-day. 

Mollie. Oh, I am so anxious to learn about this Bur- 
roughs Club. I am so glad that your meeting is on this, 
my first day in this big school. 

Rebecca. We are sure you will like the club. And you 
will learn all about the flowers, and birds, and many, many 
other things. 

Mollie. Oh, how I wish I could stay in the country for 
a while and learn to know the flowers, and make friends 
with the birds ! 

Rose. I thought you were so fond of the city. What 
has made you change your mind? 

Mollie. Oh, ever since I attended the Nature Exhibit 
I have had a great desire to be with the birds and make 
them my daily companions. Now that the happy spring- 
time is here, I wish it more than ever. 

“Birds and Poets/ 9 [Coming in.] I would that I 
might give you your heart's desire, dear child, but although 

155 


156 A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 


it is not within my power to do that, I may possibly help 
you to become better acquainted with some of our feathered 
songsters. Do you know me ? 

Mollie. I think I have seen you before, but I am not 
quite sure of your name. Do you belong to our revered 
friend, Mr. Burroughs? 

“ Birds and Poets.” Yes, indeed, I am one of his 
literary children. 4 ‘Birds and Poets” is my name. If you 
look over my pages you will find many interesting facts 
about birds. I should like to have you read the story of 
how these birds made a man who had moved to a strange 
place in the country feel perfectly at home before he was 
fairly settled in his new quarters. [Opening book in his 
hand to pages 83 and 84.] Sit right down in this com- 
fortable chair and enjoy me. 

Mollie. [ Taking book , reads.] “I go to take up my 
abode in the country. I know nobody and nobody knows 
me. The roads, the fields, the hills, the streams, the woods 
are all strange. I look wistfully upon them, but they know 
me not. But there on every hand are the birds; the same 
ones I left behind me, the robins, sparrows, bobolinks, 
crows, hawks, meadow-larks [other children commence mak- 
ing the sounds of the birds mentioned] — all there before 
me, ready to renew old associations. Before my home is 
begun theirs is completed.” 

Lena. We saw stuffed birds like those and their homes 
when the case of birds came from the Museum of Natural 
History. 

Esther. I liked the meadow-lark best. 

Mollie. Wait, there is more to read. “I do not know 
what kind of apples my trees bear, but there in the cavity 


A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 157 


of a decayed limb the bluebirds are building a nest, and 
yonder on that branch the sparrow is busy with hairs and 
straws. ’ ’ 

Tessie. What does “cavity” mean? 

Rose. [Superior tone.] A hollow place. 

Mollie. [Looking up from book.] Oh, there are many 
more lovely things here — about robins, and cherries, phoebe- 
birds, and, and — Oh, you must all read it. Thank 
you [turning to “Birds and Poets”] for letting me read 
this beautiful story. I hope that some day I may own a 
home in the country where the birds will not be afraid to 
come. Has Mr. Burroughs written any other books? 

“Birds and Poets.” O'h, yes, a great many. Why! 
Here comes “Wake-Robin”! 

“Wake-Robin.” How do you do? I, too, have come to 
help you, Mollie. If you turn my pages carefully you will 
find all the lovely things that come in the springtime. The 
bluebird and the robin and the phcebe sing gaily from my 
first few pages. If you like me well enough, I shall take 
you through the beautiful forests and introduce you to my 
friends, the trees, and show you the homes of our bird 
friends. Will you come with me ? 

Mollie. Of course I shall. I should like to go now. 

Katie. Rose, do you remember the rimes I wrote on an 
ideal resort for a bird? 

Rose. No, Katie, but won’t you recite them for us? 

Katie. [Recites origdnal rime.] Certainly ! 


High up in a tree is a nest 
The wind rocks to and fro. 


158 A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 


For a bird ’t is an ideal place to rest, 

And when the winds blow 

The cradle rocks low. [Members applaud.] 

1 1 Birds and Poets. ’ ’ I declare ! Three more of our set. 
Volumes II, V, and XV. [Enter ‘ ‘ Pep acton, ’ ’ “ Winter- 
Sunshine' 9 and “ Light of Day.”] 

Mollie. [Going up to “Pepacton” and pointing to 
name.] What a queer name! P-e-p-a-c-t-o-n. How do 
you pronounce it ? 

“Pepacton.” Pepacton. I am named after the beauti- 
ful river near which John Burroughs was born. If you 
could see it you would not wonder at his love for nature. 
The river rises in a deep gorge in the mountains, in the 
midst of the wildest scenery. Read me and I shall show 
you how Mr. Burroughs learned the secrets of the hawks, 
and the heron, the whip-poor-will and the bobolink. You 
will hear the strange mysterious song of the thrush in the 
dense forest, and find fascinating wild things growing along 
the trail up the mountain side. More than this, you will 
discover that the country is almost as beautiful in winter as 
in summer. Think of an immense landscape in immaculate 
white, every object so clearly defined that one can see a fox 
half a league away. 

Walter. Would n ’t that be a fine place for a sleigh ride ? 

Mollie. I not only want to read you, * ‘ Pepacton, ’ ’ but 
I long to visit the place you have just described. 

‘ ‘ Winter-Sunshine.” I can add a great deal more 
about the delights of winter, as my name* will show you. I 
am “ Winter-Sunshine.” Wander with me over the new- 
fallen snow. I shall show you the homes of elves and fairy 


A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 159 


sprites — palaces decked with rare jewels, sparkling under 
the winter sun! Watch the snow-carpet! See that small 
black thread woven in and out upon it like the links of a 
chain ! ’T is the trail — 

Jeanette. Oh! I know you, “Winter-Sunshine”! 
You are the one who told us about the skunk that awoke 
from his winter’s nap and stole the brood of chicks from 
poor Mother Hen. The pickpocket skunk! Oh, yes, in- 
deed ! You gave us much pleasure. 

Mollie. How is it that you know “Winter-Sunshine,” 
J eanette ? 

Jeanette. From the Burroughs Nature Club, of course. 
We find the answers to many interesting questions in these 
books ! 

“Winter-Sunshine.” But you may wander on other 
paths with me, too; for I can show you the path which 
Shakespeare trod on his way to Anne Hathaway’s cottage, 
or the road made jolly by Ben Jonson on his way to Scot- 
land, or the country traversed by Wilson, the bird lover, on 
his trip from Niagara to Philadelphia. Will you wander 
with me over any of these ? I shall cheer you all the way, 
for I am “Winter-Sunshine.” 

“Light of Day.” [Stepping forward .] It is surely 
appropriate for me to follow “Winter-Sunshine,” for I am 
called “The Light of Day,” a name so attractive that you 
will be eager to know what I have to give you, if not now, 
when you are older. In one chapter it is suggested that 
“maybe this brown sun-tanned, sin-stained earth is a sister 
to the morning and the evening star.” You cannot read 
my pages without realizing more and more the beauty and 
grandeur of this wonderful old world we live in. 


160 A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 


Mollie. I am longing to read you all. What! More! 
[Enter “Far and Near,” “Riverby,” and “Signs and 
Seasons.”] 

Rose. Oh, I know you, “Far and Near.” [Shaking 
hands.] You gave us the answer to the question about the 
arrival of the robin and the character of his nest. As we 
have a robin’s nest in our room, we can see that what you 
say is true: it is made of twigs and straw, plastered with 
mud. 

“Far and Near.” Rose, have you read how some robins 
tried to build a nest on the roof of Mr. Burroughs ’ cabin ? 

Rose. [Taking the hook from “Far and Near,” and 
opening it.] Oh, yes ! Here it is on page 135. 

“Riverby.” [Stepping forward and placing one hand 
on Mollie ’s shoulder.] My child, I hope I have something 
for you, too. My name, as you see, is “Riverby,” after 
Mr. Burroughs’ home on the Hudson. Come with me to the 
fields and woods and I shall show you many wild flowers, 
some of which you have never seen. I am sure you will be 
glad to find these new friends, and I hope you will love them 
all. I can tell you so much about the birds. I know all 
about their nests, their eggs, how they go a-courting, about 
their songs, the care of their young, and many other inter- 
esting things. And, Mollie, if you really love Nature, and 
would like to remember the many changes and new things 
that appear daily during the lovely spring season, I can tell 
you how to keep a journal of spring jottings which will help 
you recall many a delightful day which you might otherwise 
forget. [Enter “Fresh Fields.”] 

“Fresh Fields. ’ ’ So far, children, every visitor has told 
you about America, but I am “Fresh Fields.” I shall 


A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 161 


carry yon gently from the American shores to the land of 
moors and crags, where one instantly turns from nature to 
scenes of deep, historical, legendary or artistic interest. 
First, let me take you into the land of the poet, Bums, 
where one drinks in all the beauties of rural Britain. 

Tessie. Oh, we all learned a poem by Robert Burns — 
“A Man ’s a Man for A’ That!” 

* ‘ Fresh Fields. ’ ’ Good ! W ell, let us continue our tour 
through the Highlands, up one loch, down another, and 
finally to Edinburgh. Then let us travel through Carlyle’s 
country. Do you not notice the profusion of wild flowers ? 
Such a wealth of purple and green, bell after bell swinging 
to the bee and the butterfly, row after row standing like 
sentinels lining the road of the pedestrian. 

Walter. We saw the stereographs of the lochs of Scot- 
land in a geography lesson. 

Lena. And the flowers make me think of our Memory 
Gem, “The Daffodils.” 

‘ 1 Fresh Fields. ’ ’ Travel again with me and let me take 
you to the land that is always green, always cool, always 
moist, comparatively free from frost in winter and from 
drought in summer. Grass, grass, grass everywhere — such 
a becushioned and becurtained expanse of land. Even the 
woods are full of grass. It grows upon the rocks, upon the 
walls, on the tops of old castles, on the roofs of the houses, 
and in winter the hayseed sometimes sprouts upon the backs 
of the sheep. Even the walls of the old castles and 
cathedrals support a variety of plant life. The very stones 
seem to sprout. Do you hear the song of the nightingale ? 
Do you hear the song of England’s sweetest singer, the sky- 
lark? 


162 A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 


Children. 

Hail to thee, blithe spirit, 

Bird thou never wert. 

“ Fresh Fields. ” Yes, Shelley loved the skylark. Hear 
it warble! Our journey through the land of flowers, song, 
and beauty is over ; return with me, I pray you, in our fairy 
vessel to our own United States. 

Mollie. Oh, what a lovely book ! I have always wanted 
to travel, and now you take me away over to Europe and 
make me see the very “hedgerows of England” that Pris- 
cilla thought about so often. Indeed, I shall need you 
many, many times. You shall be my very good friend. 
Who is this? Another lovely book? [Enter “Literary 
Values.”] 

“Literary Values.” Yes, here I am ready to show you 
how to write a book yourself some day, for I am ‘ ‘ Literary 
Values.” But I can tell you other things, for as you turn 
my pages you will find one marked 4 ‘ The Secret of Happi- 
ness. 9 9 Here are three little hints for finding that wonder- 
ful thing, happiness, especially when you have grown old: 
Good old books to read; happy things to think of; and, 
greatest of all cures for unhappiness, something to do every 
moment of the day. Don’t you wish to read me just to find 
out some of my other secrets? 

Mollie. Yes, indeed, we all wish to find the “Secret of 
Happiness.” I think I have found it now by getting all 
these lovely new friends. [Enter “Locusts and Wild 
Honey” and “Leaf and Tendril.”] 

“Locusts and Wild Honey.” But don’t leave us out 
of your list of friends or you will miss much of the beauty 
of the world. My name is “Locusts and Wild Honey.” I 


A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 163 


can tell you about many delights in nature : — the bees ; the 
strawberry ; the birds ; and many more things. I suppose 
you have never spent a week in the woods. 

Children. No. 

‘‘Locusts and Wild Honey.’ ’ I can tell you how de- 
lightful a week spent close to Nature can be made, if you 
use your eyes and look for all the interesting things to be 
seen. And here comes my brother to help you pass the time 
when a rainy day arrives. [Enter “Indoor Studies.”] 

“Indoor Studies.” Yes, my companions are all good 
for clear sunshiny weather, but when a rainy day comes and 
you do not wish a ramble in the woods or a walk along the 
highway, then make friends with me, for I am “Indooi 
Studies. ’ ’ I can tell you of that other nature-lover, 
Thoreau; he who, strange man that he was, “delighted in 
storms and in frost and cold.” Again, I can show you 
“how very successfully Tennyson puts wings to a fact of 
science.” Or do you wish to become acquainted with that 
cultured man, Matthew Arnold? He is a good friend of 
mine and I shall introduce you to him and to those very dif- 
ferent giants, Emerson and Carlyle. Perhaps you would 
like to know of a really great man who found it as hard to 
rise early, as you do. That is Dr. Samuel J ohnson, another 
friend that you will meet if you spend an hour with me. 
And above all I can tell you of my own father, John Bur- 
roughs. Of all his children, he must have loved me most 
dearly, for into my ear he whispered many things about 
himself. 

All. Is Mr. Burroughs your father, too ? 

‘ ‘ Indoor Studies. ” Yes, John Burroughs is father of us 
all. Do you like him? 


164 A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 


Mollie. Oh! I just love him for having written all 
these delightful things. [Enter 4 ‘Walt Whitman.”] 

Jeanette. See, Mollie, here comes another. I don’t be- 
lieve I met this one before. 

“Walt Whitman.” Pray listen to me. I am far dif- 
ferent from the rest. They all tell of some bird or animal, 
but I tell of the life of the celebrated Walt Whitman. His 
life was a poet’s life from first to last. One of his most 
enjoyable books, that you will want to read when you are 
older, is “Leaves of Grass.” 

Mollie. I have so many good things to read now that 
I shall save this one for a day when I am hungry and have 
no more pudding. [Aside.] That is the good thing about 
books, — they never spoil like cake, or candy, or fruit, and 
when you are old you can enjoy them even more, I imagine. 
So I shall put you away, dear book, for my rainy day in 
literature. 

Jeanette. But who is this I see coming? Still another 
book, I declare! Why, what a brain this great John Bur- 
roughs must have, to send forth so many thought children ! 
[Enter “Ways of Nature.”] 

“Ways of Nature.” I hope you are not tired of our 
great family. 

Mollie. Tired indeed ! Can you tire of the beauty and 
sweetness of Nature? 

“Ways of Nature.” I am Volume XIV. My name is 
“Ways of Nature.” Does that not sound interesting? 
You will find me a little different from the other books. 
Oh, I can teach you many, many new and interesting things. 

Mollie. It is so hard to imagine all these beauties of 


A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 165 


Nature when one lives in the crowded, busy streets of our 
great city. 

Rose. Oh, no, Mollie. Let all our classes show you how 
we use this knowledge gained from these lovely books, in 
this great, crowded city school. 

[As looks glide out to music , child steps up to Mollie and 
touches her on the shoulder.] 

Spirit of Nature. We shall show you how our children 
find Nature in this wonderful world of ours. 

[1. Seed-planting. Twelve children from 1 A run in 
with pots , seeds, rake, hoe, trowel, etc. Kindergarten 
children gather in a group and sing, — “Planting a 
Seed.” As they sing, children with pot and seeds 
plant the seeds while others do the pantomime of plant- 
ing. Recitation by one of the children , — ‘ ‘ In the Heart 
of a Seed.”] 

[2. Window Gardening. Tables with glasses, pebbles, 
bulbs, ferns, water. Children give directions for 
planting bulbs ; taking care of ferns, etc. Group of 
children then appear bearing pots, boxes ; glasses ; 
containing plants they have revised. All march down 
the center aisle, then up the side aisles, forming a 
tableau. As they march the following recitations are 
given.] 

First Girl. We are all learning these lessons about seed 
planting and window gardening and we try to have fine 
gardens in our rooms. On Fridays we often take the plants 
home to keep them until Monday. Mother is so pleased 
when it is my turn to take the plant home. 

Second Girl. Last spring some generous children in a 
country school sent us so many flowers that our school was 
like a real garden, and then we took the flowers home. 


166 A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 


When I brought home the violets, father cried because he 
said the flowers brought back to him the memories of his 
country home in Austria. He looked at the violets and 
said, “Das ist ein stiicklen von 4 Gottes Himmel/ ” which 
means, “That is like a bit of God’s sky.” That was a very 
happy evening, for father and mother told me all about their 
old home with its garden. Ah, here comes a barrel now. 
See, it is marked from the “National Plant, Fruit, and 
Flower Guild.” Oh, girls, let us see what surprises we 
have in store for us this time ! [Barrel filled with all sorts 
of nature specimens is brought in.] 

[Girls from different grades.] 

First Girl. The evergreens are on top! [Takes them 
out.] Here are pine and hemlock and they are as green as 
ever. 

Second Girl. 4 4 The murmuring pines and the hemlock. ’ ’ 
I remember that in 4 4 Evangeline. ’ ’ 

Third Girl. We have maple and oak, Mr. Burroughs 
says: 4 4 Both the pine and the hemlock make friends with 
the birch and the maple, and the oak, and one of the most 
pleasing and striking features of our autumnal scenery is a 
mountainside sown broadcast with these intermingled trees, 
forming a combination of color like the richest tapestry, 
the dark green giving body and permanence, the orange 
and yellow, light and brilliancy.” 

Second Girl. Here are flowers I love so dearly, beauti- 
ful asters. 

First Girl. We have corn stalks, too. 

Fifth Girl. 

So let the good old crops adorn 
The hills our fathers trod, 


A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 167 


Still let us for his golden corn 
Send up our thanks to God. 

Second Girl. [Taking out golden rod and holding it up.] 
The golden rod is yellow 

First Girl. 

The corn is turning brown 
Third Girl. 

The trees in apple orchards 
With fruit are bending down. 

First Girl. Here are fringed gentians. 

The gentians’ bluest fringes 
Are curling in the sun. 

Sixth Girl. Here is a milkweed pod. 

Second Girl. 

In dusty pods the milkweed 
Its hidden silk has spun. 

Sixth Girl. I wonder where it gets its name. 

Seventh Girl. Break the stem and you can easily tell. 
Oh, just watch the milky fluid that oozes out. 

Sixth Girl. What I am curious to know is, what can be 
stored inside the pod. 

All. Let ’s all take a peep ! 

First Girl. Just watch the soft downy things flutter 
through the air. [Blows the milkweed.] 

Sixth Girl. Now, I know what our teacher meant when 
she talked of the wind distributing seeds. 

First Girl. The wind does plenty of this work, but I 
have been told that the animals carry seeds, too ; the sheep, 
for instance, in its wool. 


168 A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 


Seventh Girl. Birds and insects do their little mite 
also. 

Sixth Girl. And even we carry seeds on our clothing 
without knowing it. There, you have some on you now! 
[Picks off a burr, etc., from girVs dress.] 

Sixth Girl. We have rye and sedges. 

Eighth Girl. 

The sedges flaunt their harvest in every meadow nook, 
Second Girl. 

Asters by the brookside, make asters by the brook. 

Sixth Girl. Oh, hurry, I am impatient to know what 
else there is. 

All. Ah! Chestnut burrs! 

Sixth Girl. 

Here are sumach and sumach bobs! 

These are rose hips which mean more roses for 
next year. 

First Girl. What ’s this? What ’s this? 

All. Bittersweet! Bittersweet! My, what beautiful 
bright red berries! 

Third Girl. 

On hedge and tree the bittersweet 
Has hung its fruit that looks a flower. 

First Girl. Here is something without a label. You 
know what it is. 

All. Pears ! 

Second Girl. 

The leathery pears and apples 
Hang russet on the bough. 


A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 169 


First Girl. Here are grape vines with real grapes. 
[Smells grapes and passes to others.] Here is a wild fern, 
root and all — 

Second Girl. And that will grow in our window-box 
all winter. 

First Girl. 

Let ’s bring the pretty dainty fern, 

The darling little things, 

To nestle at the foot of her, 

That autumn’s gladness brings. 

[Tableau. — Children with arms full of material taken 
from barrel. Children with pots and plants. Chil- 
dren as Burroughs Books.] 

Mollie. Oh, it was like fairyland! And all this in a 
city school! 

Epilogue. And this is the lesson that Mollie learned : 
Even in the crowded city where the streets are dark and 
the sun seldom shines with its fullness, Nature seeds are 
scattered all along the way, through the friendliness of 
Nature lovers. We learn that these seeds do grow and 
prosper, and hope that they will at last blossom into the 
full flower of better, richer lives for us, the children of our 
great city. 

[Stepping further forward , recites:] 

The works of God are fair for naught 
Unless our eyes in seeing, 

See hidden in the ‘ 1 thing” the thought 
Which animates its being. 

The shadow pictured in the lake 
By every tree that trembles, 


170 A NATURE PLAY IN A CITY SCHOOL 


Is cast for more than just the sake 
Of that which it resembles. 

The stars are lighted in the sky 
Not merely for their shining; 

But like the light of loving eyes, 
Have'meanings worth divining. 

The clouds around the mountain peak, 
The rivers in their winding, 

Have secrets which to all who seek 
Are precious in the finding. 

Whoever at the coarsest sound 
Still listens for the finest, 

Shall hear the noisy world go round, 
To music the divinest. 

Whoever yearns to see aright 
Because his heart is tender, 

Shall catch a glimpse of heavenly light, 
In every earthly splendor. 

So since the universe began 
And till it shall be ended, 

The soul of nature, soul of man, 

And soul of God are blended. 


THE END 


OUR CHOICE 


A Message to the Girl Graduates. Written for Our School , the 
School Paper of Public School 15, Manhattan, by Margaret 
Knox, Principal of the School. 


CHARACTERS 


Reader of Prologue 

The Girl. Dressed in ordinary white dress. 

The Four Seasons 

Band of Autumn Fairies. White or brown dresses trimmed with 
autumn leaves and fruits. 

Winter. Coat, trimmed with fur; fur cap. 

Spring. Pale green flowing dress, trimmed with flowers. 

Summer. White dress, trimmed with flowers. 

Mother Nature. Dress of rich, glowing colors, trimmed to repre- 
sent all seasons. 

Near The Girl stands a crossroads sign post, marked with the four 
seasons — Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. 

Beautiful and appropriate music played softly throughout. 


OUR CHOICE 


PROLOGUE 
Reader of Prologue. 

YOUR CHOICE 

If, in the green of the woods, one day, 

You came to a place where the fairies play, 

And a little sign-post on the ground, 

With four little paths from all around, 

And if you could choose to go either way, 

But wherever you went you knew you must stay 
For ever and ever and a day — 

And if one road led to the land of snow, 

Of the chimney-fires and where snowballs grow; 

And the next led off to the Autumn hills 
Of the morning frosts and the cider-mills; 

And still through the woods, but far away, 

The third lane led to the holiday 
Where long midsummer hours you spend; 

And if springtime lay at the fourth road’s end, 

Where arbutus hides and wake-robins blow, 

Which would you choose and where would you go ? 

(R. F. Bunner. From St. Nicholas, 1904.) 

OUR CHOICE 

The Girl. In imagination I sat down for a while at the 
fairies’ crossroads and I looked down each little path in 
turn. ‘ ‘Oh, yes,” I said to myself, “that wintry road with 

173 


174 


OUR CHOICE 


its fun and frolic of snowball time and with the warmth 
and welcome of a chimney-fire when the days are bleak and 
cold, attracts me greatly. I love the keen, cold, bracing 
wintry days.” [Winter passes in front of her , beckon- 
ing.] But at this moment a band of fairies dressed in scar- 
let and gold went frisking past my seat and sped down 
another path, laughing and shouting to one another as they 
went, and all inviting me, as they passed, to ‘ ‘ Come ! come ! 
come ! ’ ’ 

Autumn Fairies. [ Dancing around and beckoning.] 
Come ! Come ! Come ! 

The Girl. I heard the merry fairy language and under- 
stood it as if by magic that we always find in the woods 
on a bright October day. Such gorgeous colors in the trees, 
such clear, bracing air, and the sky so brilliant, bright and 
blue! “Surely this is my choice,” I thought, “for there 
is nothing lovelier than the autumn hills.” Just as I had 
made up my mind to rest and follow these dryads I heard 
a pretty voice saying quite close to me. 

[Summer comes in.] 

Summer. Don’t choose yet until you have tried my 
path. Remember when you follow me you come to all the 
long vacation days, — no school, no books, no lessons to be 
studied, no worries about examinations, — just long, warm, 
lazy days, and so full of lovely things, too : roses, and ram- 
bles by the sea, and sweet meadow scents; and even if one 
cannot leave the city, these days have always the charm of 
being idle days. [Goes out beckoning .] 

The Girl. Again this little speaker tempted me to fol- 
low its fairy footsteps, but, I turned and looked longingly 
down springtime’s path, for this season has always tried 
hard to lead me away from all work and worry, to entice 


OUR CHOICE 


175 


me out into the open just “to see the green things grow- 
ing.” And there, sure enough, stood the loveliest fairy of 
them all beckoning me. 

Spring. Oh, follow, follow me! [Beckoning.] 

The Girl. Which shall I choose? Oh, what a hard 
task this is! Just then I heard a voice much sweeter and 
stronger and lovelier than any of the -fairies and dryads 
who had spoken to me before. [Mother Nature comes in.] 
Its owner had come quite close to me and in her presence 
she seemed to bear all the charms of all the paths down 
which I had looked so longingly. She was tall and stately 
with the dignity of those wintry days and the warmth of 
the welcome of the fireplace. She had clear brown eyes 
that reminded me somehow of the autumn pools when the 
sunlight shines on them through flickering golden leaves. 
Her voice was gentle and languid, reminding me of the 
warm summer days. And all about her was the sweetness 
of spring time. 

Mother Nature. What troubles you ? Can I help you ? 

The Girl. Oh, yes ; which of these paths shall I choose ? 
I love them all, and cannot bear to give up any of their 
delights. 

Mother Nature. Must you choose one? Are you not 
living on this good old earth of ours where all these seasons 
come every year — why do you choose? Just sit quietly by 
and each in its turn will come to you. I am Mother Na- 
ture, and this, you know, is my duty. I shall bring to you 
every season in due time. You need not follow any path 
to find happiness. Just wait and be ready to receive it : it 
will surely come to you. 


176 


OUR CHOICE 


[As Mother Nature speaks, the others come in agcvin, 
and form a tableau around the girl.] 

The Girl. My reverie was over. I had received my 
instructions and from such a charming teacher. I found 
that there was no choice to be made. All these things are 
my own, now, if I choose to take them. Take the days as 
they come, find something good in every day. Be ready to 
make every day a happy one for some one else, and in this 
way find your own happiness. When you have met that 
loveliest of all the spirits of the four paths, as I did in that 
reverie, you will find that you will be glad to stay with her 
“Forever and a day.” 

[At the end all join in the words , “Forever and a day.”] 


THE END 


EVERY BOY 


A Morality Play Suggested by the Play “Every Girl” in St. Nicholas, 
October, 1913. By Anna M. Lutkenhaus. 


CHARACTERS 


Every Boy 

Opportunity 

Common Sense 

Good Breeding 

Chivalry 

Health 

Fun 

Knowledge 

Politics 

Work 

Patriotism 


Boys in Dumb Bell Drill 


EVERY BOY 


FIRST SCENE 

[A number of boys in dumb-bell drill. Health is leader. 
Every Boy enters and watches drill. From other side 
of stage enter Common Sense and Good Breeding. 
These two always stay together. They are followed 
by Opportunity.] 

Every Boy. It would be fine to spend one’s whole time 
in delightful exercise like that. No lessons to study; no 
decisions about future work to make ; nothing to worry one 
— and yet, would it satisfy me ? 

Opportunity. [Steps forward as boys in drill pass out.] 
Ha, Every Boy, I shall bring before you the powers and 
graces of daily life. You may choose your comrades — and, 
hearken ye, choose well. Many a boy, standing as you do, 
at the doorway of the greater life, has spoiled his career 
by choosing too sparingly or in too limited a sphere. Come, 
watch, and let your judgment rule. 

Every Boy. But who are these two fine looking lads 
who stand close together and watch us? 

Opportunity. They are Common Sense and Good 
Breeding. They will stay until your choice is made. 
After that, their staying or departure depends upon you. 

Every Boy. I am ready. Let me see what life offers. 
I shall not choose my life companions until I see all. 

179 


180 


EVERY BOY 


Opportunity. [Calling.] Chivalry. [Chivalry, dressed 
in seventeenth-century costume , comes in, bowing gra- 
ciously.] 

Every Boy. He comes from former centuries. Life of 
to-day is all progress, each man for himself. Chivalry is 
out of date. 

Chivalry. Ah, no, my hoy, chivalry is never out of 
date. I stand for kindness to the weak; respect to older, 
wiser people ; the politeness that makes the true gentleman. 
[Steps to back of stage . As each of the following charac- 
ters finishes , he steps to back. Every Boy looks puzzled.] 

Opportunity. Health. 

Every Boy. [Face brightens.] Oh, this is the leader 
of the drill. I like his form, his posture, the brightness of 
his eyes. I feel sure that I shall choose him. 

Health. I am Health. I am needed by every boy. I 
shun close, crowded rooms, late hours, rich food, cigarettes, 
and all bad companions. I seek the fresh air, the joyous 
games and sports. Choose me, Every Boy, and keep me 
always by your side. 

Opportunity. Fun. 

Fun. [Comes in laughing ; throwing and catching a 
ball. Slaps Every Boy on back.] Choose me, Every Boy. 
I shall take that wrinkle out of your forehead. I shall give 
you better digestion. There is nothing like good, honest 
fun to make life ’s burdens pleasanter and easier to carry. 

Opportunity. Knowledge. [Every Boy makes a wry 
face.] 

Knowledge. [Dressed in cap and gown. Carries a 
book.] I offer you the thoughts of master minds. Wher- 


EVERY BOY 


181 


ever I am, I improve the things around me. I open to you 
the paths of joy and delight, give you new interests and 
new thoughts. Oh, Every Boy, do not spurn me. You 
need me all through your life. 

Opportunity. Politics. 

Politics. [Comes in swaggering, dressed in English 
walking coat ; silk hat.] I rule the world. If you choose 
me, you always will succeed. 

Every Boy. I have heard that dishonesty and disgrace 
often come in your train. 

Politics. Ha, ha, ha! [Swaggers over next to Knowl- 
edge. As he takes his place, he slowly straightens and 
stands in a very dignified manner, with an exalted look on 
his face.] 

Every Boy. [Wonder ingly.] What caused this change ? 

Opportunity. Oh, Every Boy, Politics joined to Knowl- 
edge and Common Sense, and our other friends, would be- 
come one of the greatest professions. It would mean better 
laws, better people, better cities! It would mean an un- 
selfish working for the good of all. But it needs something 
more. [Calls.] Work. 

Work. No one can do without me. I am necessary to 
both rich and poor. 

Opportunity. Patriotism ! 

Patriotism. Through me politics and work are glori- 
fied. Do you see my emblem ? [Points to flag.] It is not 
just a piece of bunting of the national colors; it is 
not a thing to be treated lightly; it represents this great 
free country of ours, the country where work is digni- 
fied. So, Every Boy, choose me, and never pass this 


182 


EVERY BOY 


emblem of mine without a silent acknowledgment of its 
presence and a feeling of thankfulness that it waves over 
the “Land of the Free.” 

Opportunity. They stand before you, Every Boy ; 
choose now your life companions. [As Every Boy turns , 
the different characters, except Common Sense and Good 
Breeding, form a circle.] 

Every Boy. Why is this? Some have turned their 
backs to us and all have joined hands. 

Opportunity. They are showing you the full and per- 
fect manhood ; the manhood that will bring into this world 
another generation of honest, healthy men and women. 
You need them all, Every Boy, — Common Sense, Good 
Breeding, Chivalry, Health, Fun, Knowledge, Politics, 
Work, Patriotism. I am ready for your choice. 

Every Boy. I choose them all for life companions. 
[Turns to audience. Common Sense and Good Breeding 
join the others and they surround Every Boy.] I shall try, 
as my name portrays, to keep them always in company with 
every boy. 


THE END 


THANKSGIVING DAY— 1696 


By Martha B. Bayles and Anna M. Lutkenhaus. 

All the children should understand the historical setting of the 
play. 

Prepared as a history lesson to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. 
Opportunity is given to have the whole school join in the songs and 
many children to take part in the dance. 


CHARACTERS 


A Puritan Mother 
Her Daughters: 

Ruth 

Sarah 

Betsey 

Jane 

Priscilla-* 


All dressed in Puritan costume. 


Faith, a little Quaker girl, dressed in Quaker costume 
Gretchen, a little Dutch girl, dressed in Dutch costume 

Children in Witch Dance. Dressed in black capes, high peaked 
black hats, red skirts; carrying toy brooms. 

Classes of Children 


Place: Salem, Massachusetts. 

The scene opens in a New England kitchen in the year 1696. The 
Thanksgiving about to be celebrated is the first for four years, as 
New England has been suffering on account of the superstitious 
belief in witches. 


THANKSGIVING DAY— 1696 


FIRST SCENE 

Priscilla. Where ’s Mother? 

Ruth. The Indian, Samoset, called her outside. Oh, 
Priscilla, won ’t you be glad when the stage comes ? Think 
of the long, long journey Gretchen and Faith have had. 

Sarah. Oh, so glad ! Do you know it seems strange to 
me to think that their mothers and ours were friends long 
ago, and that now Faith is coming all the way from Phila- 
delphia, and Gretchen from New York, to spend this 
Thanksgiving Day with us. 

Mother. [Coming in.] Yea, a blessed Thanksgiving 
Day, and the first one for four long years ! Yes, horrible 
years. [Sits down a minute in thought. Suddenly jumps 
up.] But, children, I fear our tongues are running away 
with us and the dinner will be lacking when our little 
friends arrive. 

Betsey. What did Samoset bring, Mother? 

Mother. A large wild turkey which he shot yesterday, 
and his blessings from all the tribe for a long thanksgiving. 

[A loud whistle is heard.] 

Jane. Listen, — the stage whistle, — oh, here they are! 
[All rush and greet the two girls.] 

Gretchen. My father and mother send their greetings 
185 


186 THANKSGIVING DAY— 1696 

and blessings. They have been sore troubled about you 
and yours. 

Mother. We have had sad times here, but, thank God, 
to-day we have a real Thanksgiving. 

Faith. Old Ebenezer Williams was in the stage with us. 
He told us many strange and haunting things about the 
trouble here with the witches. 

Mother. Ebenezer Williams [thoughtfully], yes, his 
nephew, Captain Alden, a good trusty man, was put to 
death for witchcraft, so, of course, he knew all about it. 
But, little Faith, how did you leave your good parents ? 

Faith. They sent their blessings to thee and thine. 

Mother. Oh, how I should like to see your dear mother. 
But you must rest; it has been a long, long trip for you 
little folks. 

Gretchen. We did not mind the length. Ebenezer 
pointed out to us the good crops as we came along. It made 
us glad to see them. The people everywhere were prepar- 
ing for Thanksgiving. 

I 

Priscilla. Did the people you passed seem happy? 

Gretchen. Oh, yes; at one place a crowd of boys and 
girls were gathering the pumpkins. They were singing, 
as they worked, a song of praise and thanks to God. 

School. [Sing softly, “Thanksgiving to God for His 
House,” by Robert Herrick, 1591-1674. Set to the music 
of Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana.] 

Lord, thou hast given me a cell 
Wherein to dwell; 

And little house, whose humble roof 
Is weatherproof; is weatherproof; 


THANKSGIVING DAY— 1696 


187 


Under the spars of which I lie 
Both soft and dry ; 

Where Thou my chamber for to ward 
Hast set a guard ; hast set a guard 
Of harmless thoughts, to watch and keep 
Me, while I sleep, 

Low is my porch, as is my fate, 

Both void of state ; both void of state ; 

And yet the threshold of my door 
Is worn by th’ poor, 

Who hither come, and freely get 

Good words or meat, good words or meat, 

Like as my parlor, so my hall 
And kitchen small ; 

A little buttery, and therein 
A little bin, a little bin 
Which keeps my little loaf of bread 
Unclipt, unflead. 

Some little sticks of thorn or briar 
Make me a fire, make me a fire, 

Close by whose living coal I sit, 

And glow like it. 

[During the singing the mother and girls have made the 
visitors comfortable.] 

Mother. They have much to be thankful for now that 
this dreadful persecution has stopped. 

Gretchen. My father said that the people thought that 
they were doing right, that it says in the Old Testament, 
“Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” 

Faith. [Turning to Gretchen.] Did thee notice when 
Ebenezer Williams told us that the Thanksgiving Day really 
comes down to us from the Jewish feast of the Tabernacles? 


188 


THANKSGIVING DAY— 1696 


Gretchen. [Turning to Mother.] Oh, yes, and how 
the Puritans took the idea, after living ten years in Hol- 
land, from the way the Dutch celebrate October third, at 
Leyden, their deliverance from the Spaniards. 

Faith. But other things he told us about these last 
years made us feel very sad. 

Mother. Oh, they have been terrible years! Little 
children, women and men, young and old, put to death as 
witches. No one knew what minute one would hear strange 
mutterings from the goblins. 

Class. [ Very softly.] 

Laughed every goblin 
When they spied her peeping ; 

Full of airs and graces, 

Pulling wry faces, 

Demure grimaces! 

— Christina Rossetti. 

Faith. Too bad that Governor Phips did not have the 
good sense of our good William Penn. 

Jane. What did he do? 

Faith. A woman was brought before him, accused of 
witchcraft. She was reported to have taken a ride in the 
air on a broomstick. She said it was true. He looked at 
her carefully, and then said, “Thee may take a ride on a 
broomstick whenever thee wishes; there is no law against 
it.” 

Gretchen. Ebenezer Williams told us how one woman 
threw a shoe at another and was put to death for it. 

Mother. Come, we have talked enough about the witch- 


THANKSGIVING DAY— 1696 


189 


craft. We must go up and see the grandmother; and not 
make this blessed day a day of sadness. [All go out.] 

Class. [Chanting.] 

Know ye the witch’s dell? 

Within a gloomy dimble she doth dwell 

Down in a pit o’er grown with brakes and briars, 

Close by the ruins of a shaken abbey, 

Torn with an earthquake down unto the ground, 
’Mongst graves and grots, near an old charnel-house, 
Where you shall find her sitting in her form. 

— Ben Jonson, 1573-1637. 

[Witches’ Dance . Music — MacDowell’s “Witch Dance.” 
One old witch watches a cauldron in the rear of the 
assembly room or stage. This is arranged by hanging 
an old iron pot on a tripod made by binding three poles 
together , like the framework of a tent. The children 
dance to the music of “The Witch Dance.” They 
should be trained to give a witch-like scream as the 
dance grows wild and the music lends itself to the 
weirdness. All the witches should keep their faces 
covered as much as possible, and run out to music as 
if on the wind.] 


SECOND SCENE 

[All come in, ready to go to “ meeting.”] 

Mother. That foolish man, John Thayer, has just been 
fined ten shillings for working to-day. Well, are you all 
ready ? 

Priscilla. I have the two foot-stoves here for Gretchen 
and Faith. 


190 


THANKSGIVING DAY— 1696 


Gretchen. And is not the meeting house heated with a 
stove as ours is? 

Mother. I should think not! A few thoughtless peo- 
ple wanted a stove put up, hut think how it would warp 
our shell hair-combs! 

Jane. And it would give the meeting-house attendants 
a headache. 

Mother. This year our welcome Thanksgiving Day was 
ordered by the meeting-house instead of by the court. 
Bead the proclamation, Priscilla. 

Priscilla. [ Takes up paper and reads.] “The Lord 
hath been pleased to turn all the wigwams, huts, and hovels 
the English dwelt in at their first coming, into orderly, fair, 
and well-built houses, well furnished many of them, with 
orchards filled with goodly fruit trees and garden flowers, 
and whereby it has pleased Him to remove this dreadful 
curse from us, let every one meet in His house and praise 
Him on this day.” 

Mother. And now let us get our faces sober and becom- 
ing, and make ready to go and praise God for His great 
blessings. [All go out, walking very soberly.] 

[School. “Pilgrim's Chorus,” Wagner, Laurel Song 
Book, published by Birchard and Co., Boston, or 100th 
Psalm, or any other song of praise and thanksgiving 
that the school has learned.] 


FINIS 


THE CROWNING OF THE DRYADS 


A May-Day Dream, Written to Celebrate Arbor Day, by Mabtha B. 

Bayles. 


CHARACTERS 


Dressed to Represent Characters Portrayed. 

Titania. Dressed as a woodland fairy, in filmy white dress, 
trimmed with flowers. 

Pan. Like a rough boy in earth colored muslin, fringed about ankles 
and shoulders to represent fetlocks and mane of goat. Cap 
with small horns. 


Oak 

Maple 

Birch 

Willow 

Elm 


Trees dressed in long gray muslin dresses, trimmed with 
the leaves of each tree specified. The birch dressed 
in white. 


Sun. Dressed in a skirt and cap of bright yellow cr§pe paper. 

Herald. Cape, thrown back over shoulder; plumed hat; announces 
his coming by blowing bugle. 

Winds. Gray cheesecloth dresses with long, flowing sleeves. 

Brook. A skirt and cape, made of silver paper cut in wavy lines 
almost to the edge. 


Crow. Skirt and cape of black crgpe paper. 
Ariel. Gauze slip with wings. 


Violet "i 
Buttercup I 
Daisy 

Dandelion J 


Flowers in dresses of crgpe paper, the color of the 
flower; each wearing a crepe hat which suggests 
the flower, and carrying a basket of flowers. 


Ferns (two) "1 Ferns and Grasses in green dresses, trimmed 
Grasses (two) j with brown. 


Butterflies (eight) Crepe paper dresses with wings made of oak 

tag, covered with crepe paper and dec- 
orated with crayons to represent colors 
of butterfly. 


Ten Children 

Scene: In the heart of an ancient wood. 
Time: Some time ago. 


THE CROWNING OF THE DRYADS 


PROLOGUE 

Herald. Some time ago, one Arbor Day, Titania, the 
queen of the fairies, with Pan, the flowers and the grasses, 
the birds and the butterflies, as well as the sun and the 
winds, met in the heart of an ancient wood to crown the 
Dryads. The Dryads, as you know, are the nymphs that 
live in the trees. In the midst of their revels a merry May 
party burst in upon them and begged permission to join 
them in praising the trees. 


FIRST SCENE 

[The floor is covered with a gray -green denim; a couch 
covered with green for hank. Maypole at one side.] 

[As school sings song, “I Know a Bank,” Titania and 
her two attendants, Buttercup and Daisy, enter.] 

Titania. That southwest wind fairly took my breath 
away. 

Buttercup. Lie down on this mossy bank, good Queen, 
and we shall sing you to sleep. 

Daisy. Remember, you have much to do to-morrow. 

Titania. Indeed, I have. Although a very pleasant 
task, it will not be easy to crown all the Dryads in this an- 
cient wood. Waken me in time, faithful fairies. [She 
sleeps.] 


193 


194 


THE CROWNING OF THE DRYADS 


Attendants. Indeed, we shall. 

Buttercup. [Sings to music , Mendelssohn’ s “Midsum- 
mer Night’s Dream.”] 

“You spotted snakes with double tongue, 

Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen; 

Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong, 

Come not near our fairy queen.” 

Chorus. [Chanted softly by class in rear of assembly 
room .] 

“Philomel, with melody, 

Sing in our sweet lullaby ; 

Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby; 

Never harm, 

Nor spell nor charm, 

Come our lovely lady nigh ; 

So, good night, with lullaby.” 

Daisy. 

“Weaving spiders, come not here; 

Hence, you long legg’d spinners, hence! 

Beetles black, approach not near ; 

Worm nor snail, do no offense!” 


SECOND SCENE 

Herald. Pan, the god of all out-doors, is found lying 
under the trees. Presently all the wood-folk join him. 
Pan. 

“Under the greenwood tree, 

Who loves to lie with me, 

And tune his merry note 
Unto the sweet bird’s throat, 


THE CROWNING OP THE DRYADS 


195 


Come hither, come hither, come hither; 

Here shall we see no enemy 
But winter and rough weather. ’ 9 

“Who doth ambition shun 
And loves to live in the sun, 

Seeking the food he eats, 

And pleased with what he gets, 

Come hither, come hither, come hither; 

Here shall he see no enemy 
But winter and rough weather.” 

[Enter Titania and Fairies.] 

Titania. We come, 0 Pan, to join you in the celebra- 
tion of this great day. We, too, know the delight of resting 
on a mossy couch in this great shadowy forest. 

Come, come, come! 

All ye flowers of the wood, 

Ferns and grasses of the May 
Make your wreaths so bright and gay 
For the Dryads this great day, 

.While we sing, while we sing ! 

[Enter Flowers, Grasses, Ferns. Flowers make 
wreaths.] 

School. [First stanza of “Farewell to the Forest.” — 
Rix’ Assembly SoTig Book, p. 111.] 

[Enter Crow.] 

Crow. Caw! caw! caw! I, as “judge and jury of the 
wood,” have been appointed to represent the birds to-day. 
We love the Dryads and to you bring our meed of praise. 
Without you many of us would be homeless, for we build 
our nests in your branches. Really, one cannot help sing- 
ing when swaying on the topmost twig of a grand old tree. 


196 THE CROWNING OF THE DRYADS 


Titania. We must have trees! We must have trees! 
If only to keep you glad creatures of the sun and laughing 
sky. 

School. [“A Spring Song,” to Rubinstein's Melody 
in F. — Rix's Assembly Song Book , page 144.] 

Sun. [Approaching the trees.] I have come to crown 
you with light for you save the bright rays I send you every 
day. 

Crow. Is that true ? 

Sun. Yes. I can prove it. Take a few sticks of wood 
and make a fire and my long imprisoned sunbeams will 
burst forth with all the light and heat which they had orig- 
inally. 

Titania. Well, well! We fairies are swifter than the 
wind, but we have never been able to catch a sunbeam. 

Pan. That is not strange, when it can encircle the whole 
earth eight times in one second. Still, an oak has no trou- 
ble in capturing and keeping it for a thousand years and 
more. 

All. Wonderful ! 

School. [“Ariel’s Song,” Harmonic III Music Reader i 
page 71.] 

[Enter Ariel during singing.] 

[Butterfly Dance. At the end of the song the butterflies 
come in, and with Ariel, dance in and out among the 
flowers, in dancing steps fitting to music of Grieg's 
“Butterfly.”] 

Winds. [Rushing in from different directions.] We 
like nothing better than to play in your branches, to make 
the maple leaves dance with glee, to hear the tall pines sob 


THE CROWNING OF THE DRYADS 


197 


and sigh, and to wrestle with the giant oak until he groans 
with pain. We may sometimes seem rough and boisterous, 
but we hold you in high esteem and seldom dare to destroy 
the homes of men when you are present. To show you our 
great appreciation of your value to the earth, we promise 
to carry to your leaves the food you like best. 

School. [Song — “The Brook’ ’ — Tennyson.] 

[Enter Brook while song is sung.] 

Brook. 0 trees, how I love the flickering shadows you 
cast on my waters ! When the days are long and hot, with- 
out your benignant shade I should disappear and nothing 
but my pebbly bed would be left. I cannot place a crown 
upon your heads, but I shall lave your roots with my cool- 
ing stream and so nourish your trunk and branches that all 
summer long your leaves will keep green and fresh. At 
your feet I shall cause rich mosses to grow, and ferns and 
flowers will flourish all about you. It is because of your 
benign influence that “I go on forever.” 

[Mendelssohn’s “Spring Song” to be played throughout 
Titania’s speech. Flowers, having finished their 
wreaths , crown the trees.] 

Titania. 

Come one, come all, 

Violets and buttercups, 

Dandelions and daisies fair, 

Hairy ferns with fronds curled up, 

Grasses long with spears that tear, 

In this leafy forest hall 
Come and form a mystic ring, 

Just before the oak, the king. 

To him and all his kin we ’ll sing, 

As we sway and as we swing ; 


198 


THE CROWNING OF THE DRYADS 


In this leafy forest hall; 

Tra la la la la la lal ! 

Tra la la la la la lal ! 

Butterfly with gauzy wing, 

Sun that crowns the Dryads bright, 

Winds that bless them in the night, 

Brooklet, too, in thy swift flight, 

Join with us in praise and song 
To this great and mighty throng 
In this leafy forest hall. 

To the trees our songs we bring 
As we sway and as we swing 
In this leafy forest hall, 

In the spring, in the spring. 

Tra la la la la la lal ! 

Tra la la la la la lal ! 

[All dance and sing “Tra la,” etc.] 

THIRD SCENE 

Herald. A party of boys and girls discover the fairies 
and ask permission to join them in honoring the Dryads. 

School. [Second stanza of “Farewell to the Forest.” 
Children run in.] 

First Girl. Fair Titania, may we join Your Majesty 
in these rustic revels, this joyous Arbor Day? We, the 
children of men, like you, have come to this lovely wood to 
sing praises to the trees, and to join our songs with yours. 
Pray, good queen, grant our request ! 

Titania. We do you human folk all the good we can, 
but we seldom allow privileges of this kind. But as you 


THE CROWNING OF THE DRYADS 


199 


grumbled not when we danced around your Maypole, and 
if you, too, love our friends, the Dryads, we shall admit 
you to our charmed circle. But each and every one of you 
must solemnly promise two things: first, never to harm a 
single tree in this ancient wood ; and second, never to let a 
year pass by without planting a tree. 

Children. We promise! We promise! Hail, hail to 
the trees! We shall protect them and we shall plant them 
for their beauty and their use. 

Titania. We are so glad you came, for now we know 
that you mortals do love the trees as much as we, the fays 
of the forest. 

First Girl. Whate’er we Ve failed to express in word 
and song, we now shall tell in motion. 

Children. A dance! a dance! a Maypole dance! Ti- 
tania, come and be our queen. And you, Pan, the god of 
nature, must be our king, in our dance to the trees, the 
trees. 

[All dance Maypole Dance.] 


finis 


THE BIRDS’ STORY OF THE TREES 

An Exercise for Arbor Day, by Anna M. Lutkenhaus. 





















4 




























THE BIRDS’ STORY OF THE TREES 

First Speaker. Chirp, chirp, chirp ! Did yon hear us 
early this morning and think we were playing? Listen, — 
I shall tell you a secret, never told before, and then when 
you hear us, “ Chirp, chirp, chirp,’ ’ you will try to unravel 
the rest of our story. As in the old days when the bards 
roamed the country, singing and reciting the songs and 
stories of Homer and the Beowulf until gradually were 
formed great national epics, so we birds, for generation 
after generation, have sung the stories of our homes, the 
trees, until now we have nearly completed a great bird 
anthem. We gather, as our ancestors did before us, at 
sunrise, in the great branches of our homes, and, sometimes 
each little bird chirps out his story, and at other times, we 
listen with the gravest attention, to the old mother robin as 
she tells our story from the beginning. ‘ * Centuries ago,” 
she begins, “no one praised our homes for their beauty, but 
simply as good lumber. Why, it is recorded by one of our 
American ancestors, that the great Henry Hudson saw only 
in our homes a means of profit. Yet, from their branches, 
I am sure, my race chirped and sang and chirped as they 
do now. As the years flew on, things began to change, 
and we were disturbed by men measuring the bark of our 
tree-homes, even taking the exact size of the leaves, and we 
heard them talk about the veins. Later came one who filled 
us with surprise — he gazed at our homes and walked back 
and forth murmuring things about us. One day he came 

203 


204 THE BIRDS’ STORY OP THE TREES 


and we were mourning the blackbirds’ home and he burst 
out with: 

Second Speaker. 

The poplars are felled ; farewell to the shade 
And the whispering sound of the cool colonnade, 

The winds play no longer and sing in the leaves, 

Nor Ouse on his bosom their image receives. 

The blackbird has fled to another retreat 
Where the hazels afford him a screen from the 
heat, 

And the scene where his melody charm’d me 
before 

Resounds with his sweet, flowery ditty no more. 

First Speaker. And when he finished, we heard the 
leaves whisper lovingly, “Cowper.” Then came two, arm 
in arm, day after day, and as the one whispered, — 

Third Speaker. 

Then sing, ye birds, sing, sing a joyous song! 

And let the young lambs bound 
As to the tabor’s sound! 

We in thought will join your throng, 

Ye that pipe and ye that play, 

Ye that through your hearts to-day 
Feel the gladness of the May! 

First Speaker. The other answered: 

Fourth Speaker. 

Ye Woods! that listen to the night-bird singing, 
Midway the smooth and perilous slope reclined, 

Save when your own imperious branches, 
swinging, 

Have made a solemn music of the wind. 


THE BIRDS’ STORY OF THE TREES 205 


First Speaker. And the wind echoed from the busy- 
world — “Wordsworth and Coleridge.” From that time 
on we heard songs and plaints, some loud, with words clear, 
many low, vanishing echoes. Now followed a burst of 
praise to our homes on the American shores. 

Fifth Speaker. 

The groves were God’s first temples. Ere man 
learned 

To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave, 

And spread the roof above them — ere he framed 
The lofty vault, to gather and roll back 
The sound of anthems; in the darkling wood, 

Amid the cool and silence, he knelt down, 

And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks 
And supplication. 

First Speaker. It was Bryant’s prayer. After this the 
praise came so fast that we could not remember all until 
one came — one who seemed a part of our life of the woods. 
He almost lived among us, he talked to us, and constantly 
murmured, “Leaves of Grass.” 

Sixth Speaker. 

I celebrate myself, and sing myself, 

And what I assume, you shall assume, 

For every atom belonging to me as good be- 
longs to you. 

I loaf and invite my soul, 

I lean and loaf at my ease observing a spear of 
summer grass. 

First Speaker. For a long time he did not come, and 
then one day one of our little brown swallows came flying 
home and told how she had flown to the window sill of a 
big gray building and had seen our friend passing from 


206 THE BIRDS’ STORY OF THE TREES 


cot to cot, and had heard the sick soldiers whisper lovingly, 
“Walt Whitman.” Our story is almost ended, for now, 
on this glorious May Arbor Day, all the dear boys and girls 
of this great country of ours pledge themselves to love and 
protect our homes, the trees. Chirp, chirp, chirp ! 


REFORMING A BAD BOY 


Play Written for the Civic League of Public School 15, Manhattan, 
by Charlotte Wassung, Director. 


CHARACTERS 

David, the Bad Boy 

Commissioner of Street Cleaning Department 

I 

Civic League Members 
Men who bear David a grudge 
Time: Present. 

Place: New York City. 


REFORMING A BAD BOY 


FIRST SCENE 
[Street.] 

David. These Civic League boys love to follow me 
around, and pick up papers and banana skins! Well, 
here ’s some fun for you! [Throws handful of papers on 
ground . Civic League hoys rush after him shouting.] 

First League Member. [Shaking fist after David.] 
We’ll get you some day! Just wait. [Turning to 
others.] I think it ’s absolutely disgusting! With that 
David around, we ’ll never be able to keep the neighbor- 
hood clean! 

Second Member. Yes, and there are others, too. 

Third Member. But the others are merely careless. If 
you tell them how wrong it is to litter the streets, they will 
really try to be more careful. 

Fourth Member. That ’s true ! But think how many 
are always careless. They don’t seem to care how the 
neighborhood looks! 

Fifth Member. But David is the worst! He just 
laughs at us when we ask him to stop throwing things 
around. 

Sixth Member. I wonder if he knows how much harm 
he has done. 


209 


210 


REFORMING A BAD BOY 


Seventh Member. If he does, he doesn’t care. Why, 
he doesn’t seem to care about anything that ’s good and 
clean. He doesn’t keep himself clean. 

First Member. I never saw him with clean face and 
hands — 

Second Member. Or shoes polished — 

Third Member. Or hair neatly combed — 

Fourth Member. Did you ever see him wear a tie? 

All. Never ! 

First Member. Well, it ’s clear, that we must do some- 
thing. Last week, an old man slipped on a banana skin 
David had thrown into the street. Now the poor old man 
is walking around on crutches, 

Fifth Member. Yes, and David’s mother is bothered to 
death with the complaints people bring against him. She 
does her best to make a decent boy of him. But we all 
know it ’s no use. 

Sixth Member. Can’t we do something? We ’re so 
many against one. Let ’s get him — 

Eighth Member. Alive or dead ! 

First Member. By hook or crook ! 

Second Member. We shall take him to the Commis- 
sioner ! 

Third Member. That ’s the idea! To the Commis- 
sioner ! 

All. [Running off.] To the Commissioner! To the 
Commissioner ! 


REFORMING A BAD BOY 


211 


SECOND SCENE 

[In the office of the Street Cleaning Commissioner. 
Commissioner sits at his desk, writing. Enter Offi- 
cer. Salutes.] 

Officer. Your Honor ! There ’s a queer set of boys 
outside. They say they have something very important to 
report, and that they must see you. 

Commissioner. Send them right in. I always have a 
few minutes for the boys. [Enter several hoys, leading and 
pushing David into the office. David is dirty ; no tie ; torn 
clothes, etc.] 

Commissioner. "Well, well, well! And what is this? — 
the Mexican War come to town? 

Second Member. Dear Mr. Commissioner! We are 
delegates from the Young People’s Civic League of Public 
School Number 15, Manhattan. We are doing our best 
to make our school, neighborhood, and fellow-students the 
cleanest in the city. This boy, David, is the worst boy in 
our district. You see how he looks. And he is forever 
throwing papers and fruit skins into the streets. When we 
ask him to mend his ways, he just laughs at us. Can ’t you 
do something with him? 

Commissioner. So that ’s the case ! Come here, my 
lad. Let me look at you. [David comes forward slowly.] 
So you ’re the “Bad Boy” of your district. Well, you 
look like it! Look at your companions. Aren’t you 
ashamed of the way you look? Don’t you ever wash your 
hands and face ? 

David. Naw! What ’s the use? 


212 REFORMING A BAD BOY 

Commissioner. What ’s the use ? What do you mean ? 

David. WTiat ’s the use of washing them. Won’t they 
get dirty again? 

Commissioner. I think you need a little time to your- 
self, young man, to think things over. [To delegates.] 
Thank you, boys, for reporting this to me. I ’ll see whether 
we can’t make a man of our young friend here. 

Delegates. Good-by, Mr. Commissioner. 

Commissioner. Good-by, children. [They go out.] 

Commissioner. [To David.] I think I shall keep you 
locked up for a night here in the office. Maybe you ’ll 
have a little more sense to-morrow. [Commissioner goes 
out. David sits down. After a while he falls asleep.] 

THIRD SCENE 
David’s Dream 

[Enter his father , one man with a crutch , and several 
others. As they creep in, they murmur.] 

All. 

We ’ll wake him, we ’ll shake him, 

We ’ll make him jump and hop. 

If he will promise to be good, 

Why then, perhaps we ’ll stop. 

[Then they surround him, singing and pointing at him, 
and occasionally pushing and pinching him.] 

All. [Sing to tune of “Funiculi, Funicula,” Rix’s As- 
sembly Song Book, page 153.] 

He thinks the world is made for dirt and garbage. 

We wonder why, we wonder why. 


REFORMING A BAD BOY 


213 


He thinks in being clean there ’s no advantage. 

Oh my, oh my! Oh my, oh my! 

But we, we ’ll make this youngster see his error — 

The time is nigh ! The time is nigh ! 

When he will quake in fear and quake in terror. 

And that ’s no lie ! And that ’s no lie ! 

Listen, listen, to what we have to say ! 

Listen, listen, you ’ll have to mend your way. 

Down on your knees, 

Down on your knees, 

Down on your knees, 

Down on your knees, 

List, my boy, now mend your way, 

This day, this very day. 

David. [Waking up; looks frightened.] Oh, please, 
please don’t hurt me! I didn’t do anything. 

Old Man. Didn’t do anything? Didn’t you throw 
banana skins on the street, so that I fell and broke my leg ? 

First Man. Didn’t you chalk up my sidewalk and the 
sides of my house? 

Second Man. Didn’t you make a bonfire on Election 
Day? And the sparks, flying into my window, almost set 
the house on fire? 

Third Man. Didn’t you put a box on the fire-escape 
and obstruct the passage? 

Father. Are n ’t you always a disgrace to your mother 
and to me? 

All. Let ’s give him a good beating ! 

[All dancing and crouching around him , pulling , push- 
ing and hitting him, they chant as before.] 


214 


REFORMING A BAD BOY 


All. We ’ll wake him, we ’ll shake him, 

We ’ll make him jump and hop. 

If he will promise to be good, 

Why then, perhaps, we ’ll stop. 

[They repeat more faintly , as they slowly slink away . 
Meanwhile David falls asleep , exhausted. Enter Com- 
missioner. Goes up to David, and wakes him.] 

Commissioner. Well, my boy, you must have had a rest- 
less night. Come, get up. How did you sleep ? 

David. [Rubbing his eyes.] Oh, are they gone? Don’t 
let them come back, please Mr. Commissioner, and I shall 
be good. 

Commissioner. There was no one here. You must have 
been dreaming. However, it ’s good to hear you promise 
to be good. Do you mean it? 

David. Indeed, I do. I shall never throw things around 
any more. And maybe, if I keep myself nice and clean, 
the Civic League will allow me to join them. 

Commissioner. I ’m sure they will, if you are in earnest. 
Listen ! The Civic League is parading. Come with me to 
the reviewing stand. We can watch it from there. [Takes 
his place on the stand.] 


FOURTH SCENE 
Parade and Drills. 

[All the League members in the parade. They carry 
brooms over their shoulders. When they come in front 
of the place where the Commissioner is seated, they 
halt and salute . Then they recite the following:] 


REFORMING A BAD BOY 


215 


CHARGE OF THE CIVIC LEAGUE 

Civic League, Civic League, 

Civic League, onward! 

Into the dirty street 
Dashed the half -hundred. 

1 1 Forward the Civic League! 

Charge for the dirt,” he said. 

Into the dirty street 
Dashed the half-hundred. 

“Forward the Civic League!” 

Was there a boy dismayed? 

Not though each leaguer knew 
What was before him. 

Theirs not to make reply, 

Theirs not to reason why. 

Theirs but to make the dirt fly. 
Into the dirty street 
Dashed the half -hundred. 

Papers to right of them, 

Papers to left of them, 

Papers in front of them, 

Flittered and fluttered. 

Picked them up where they fell ; 
Quickly they worked and well, 

Out in the city street. 

None could excel or beat 
This earnest half -hundred. 

When will the streets be clean, 

And no more dirt be seen? 

So the world wonders. 


216 


REFORMING A BAD BOY 


Just give us boys a chance! 

We 11 lead the dirt a dance! 

Our little half -hundred. 

[Drill and Parade. 

1. 2 chords — brooms down. 

Charge and sweep > — 16 counts. 

{Half of company to right , 
half of company to left.) 

Chord — face to sides , half right, half left. 

Charge and sweep — 16 counts. 

Chord — face to back. 

Charge and sweep — 16 counts. 

Chord — face inward. 

Charge and sweep — 16 counts. 

Chord — front face. 

2 chords — brooms to position at “Carry.” 

2. Forming pin-wheel. 

3. March off. ( Some carry placards, inscribed: — “We 
are for clean streets” ; “Clean City”; “Civic League 
of Public School 15”; “We show the way to Spotless 

Town.”)] 


FINIS 


WELL BABIES 


Written for the Little Mothers’ League of Public School 15, by 
Anna M. Lutkenhaus. 

The Little Mothers’ League is composed of girls twelve years 
old and older, formed in clubs in the different schools of New York. 
They pledge themselves to do everything in their power to help to 
save the little babies during the hot weather. At regular intervals 
the school doctor and school nurse give them talks on “The Care of 
Babies in Summer.” This play was written for their annual enter- 
tainment. 


CHARACTERS 


Bertha, President of the League 
Frances, Secretary of the League 
Nurse 

Grandmother 
Sisters of Bertha 
Girls of the League 
Yetta, foreigner 

Scene is laid at home of Bertha, the president of League. 


WELL BABIES 


[Bertha and her younger sisters sitting in room sewing , 
reading, etc. In one corner sits the Grandmother, 
knitting. Yetta, carrying baby {doll), comes in.] 

Bertha. [Jumping up.] Oh, I am so glad, Yetta, 
you have come to live in this great, free country of ours. 
And this dear little baby sister of yours will be such a de- 
light. We shall teach you and your mother just what to 
do to make her thrive in our climate. [Sisters show de- 
light.] 

Yetta. [Placing baby in crib.] I, too, am glad to be 
here. It seems so strange to me to hear little girls talking 
about caring for babies. 

Gussie. We are growing into big girls. Why, all the 
girls in our little Mothers’ League, that is the society to 
which we belong, are over twelve years old. 

Grandmother. When I was young the children at 
twelve played with dolls. 

Reina. Oh, but, Grandmother, things have changed, 
and it is through the ignorance of those same little girls, 
now grown to be women, that so many of our babies die each 
summer. 

Grandmother. [Shaking her head.] You children are 
old before your time — but you are healthy. 

Bertha. It is so interesting when we look back over the 
219 


220 WELL BABIES 

history of the world and see how the care of children has 
developed. 

Gussie. Do you remember in old Spartan days a delicate 
baby was killed ? 

Reina. Yes, and nowadays by intelligent care it grows 
up to be a good and healthy citizen. 

Yetta. Not much attention was paid to children and 
their ills and cares for many hundred years. 

Florence. I think the poet Elizabeth Browning was 
one of the first to call the world’s attention to the little 
children working in the mines and factories. Do you re- 
member her lines, Reina? 

Reina. 

Do ye hear the children weeping, O my brothers, 

Ere the sorrow comes with years? 

They are leaning their young heads against their 
mothers, 

And that- cannot stop their tears. 

The young lambs are bleating in the meadows; 

The young birds are chirping in the nest ; 

The young fawns are playing with the shadows ; 

The young flowers are blowing toward the west. 

But the young, young children, 0 my brothers, 

They are weeping bitterly! 

They are weeping in the playtime of the others, 

In the country of the free. 

Bertha. It is almost four and here come the girls of 
our League. You met them yesterday for a minute. I see 
the nurse is with them. [Nurse comes in.] 

Rebecca. Oh, what a dear little baby! Why, Bertha! 
and you the president of our League! She is lying on a 


WELL BABIES 


221 


feather pillow! [Removes pillow.] Don't you remember 
how often our school doctor has told us that a baby must 
not lie on feather pillows but on a firm bed ? 

Grandmother. [Muttering.] When I was young all 
the babies slept on feather beds. 

Bertha. Yetta, put her down and I never noticed. 

Frances. But that is carelessness, and carelessness and 
ignorance are what cause the great mortality among young 
babies. 

Bertha. [Turning to Nurse.] Do you wish the girls 
to tell what League work they have done during the week ? 

Nurse. Yes, Little Mothers, but first I should like to 
hear what you have done this summer. 

Bertha. Oh, Tillie was present at every meeting during 
the summer. Will you tell us about it, Tillie? 

Tillie. [Reads an original account of meetings during 
summer.] 

Rose. I saw a little, white-faced baby crawling over the 
dirty pavement, and putting things in its mouth. The 
mother could not speak English, so I talked to her in her 
own language and told her if she wanted her baby to be 
well, never to allow it to crawl on a dirty floor — to spread 
a clean sheet down first — and never, never allow it to put 
things in its mouth or to eat bananas or any solid food until 
after it was a year old. 

Nurse. I hope you told her that it is much easier to 
keep a well baby well than to cure a sick one. 

Rose. Yes. 

Jennie. I have been telling my baby brother beautiful 


222 


WELL BABIES 


stories and poems before his bedtime. Then he has the 
airiest room, as all babies ought to have, and I am very care- 
ful to have the windows well opened — I place a screen in 
front of the baby’s bed to keep away any draft, and he 
sleeps very much better than he used to. 

Lena. I read a dear little poem by William Blake — 

I have no name j 

I am but two days old. 

What shall I call thee? 

I happy am ; 

Joy is my name. 

Sweet joy befall thee ! 

Pretty joy : 

Sweet joy but two days old ! 

Sweet joy I call thee ; 

Thou dost smile ; 

I sing the while, 

Sweet joy befall thee. 

Hannah. I always sing for a little while each day, to 
my baby sister. She likes this one best. [Sings.] 

Baby is going to Bye-lo-land 
Bye-lo-land — Bye-lo-land, 

Going to see the sights so grand — 

To see the sights so grand. 

Out of the sky the wee stars peep. 

They ’re going to put baby fast asleep. 
Swing-lo-Bye-lo, 

Baby ’s asleep in Bye-lo-land. 

Grandmother. I remember when I was a little child, 
they used to tell me that the 4 * bogie” man would get me. 


WELL BABIES 


223 


All. Oh ! that was so wrong ! 

Grandmother. I remember how I shivered for an hour 
after hearing at night — 

Laughed every goblin 
When they spied her peeping, 

Came toward her hobbling, 

Flying, running, leaping, 

Puffing and blowing, 

Chuckling, clapping, crowing, 

Clucking and gobbling, 

Mopping and mowing, 

Full of airs and graces, 

Pulling wry faces, 

Demure grimaces, 

Cat-like and rat-like, 

Ratel and wombat-like, 

Snail-paced in a hurry, 

Parrot-voiced and whistler, 

Helter-skelter, hurry-skurry, 

Chattering like magpies, 

Fluttering like pigeons, 

Gliding like fishes, — 

Hugged her and kissed her; 

Squeezed and caressed her. 

— Christina Rossetti. 

Nurse. Babies nowadays are not told things at bedtime 
that will excite them. 

Millie. My cousin’s little baby was sick and I told her 
to stop its milk at once and give it boiled water and to send 
quickly for the doctor. 

Belle. I tell my mother every day that the doctor says 


224 WELL BABIES 

it is wrong to feed the baby oftener than the regular periods, 
just because it cries. 

Minnie. I keep my little baby sister very clean. I help 
to wash her clothes and I am very careful to rinse them well, 
and dry them in the open air. 

Esther. Every day I bathe my baby brother. 

Bertha. Our secretary will now read the notes of the 
last meeting, and I think you will see that we have tried to 
carry them out faithfully. 

Frances. On Thursday we met and reported the work 
done during the week. Our doctor was present and gave 
us a little talk on the work of the League. I made an out- 
line from the talk — 

A baby must be fed at regular times. 

No feeding oftener because of crying. 

Baby bottles must be well washed with borax and hot 
water, rinsed and boiled just before using. 

Nipple must be thoroughly washed and left in borax 
water; when not in use in a covered glass — then rinsed in 
boiling water before the baby uses it. 

During hot weather the baby’s clothing must be very 
light. A muslin slip or gauze shirt is enough. 

A baby should have a tub bath every day and, in warm 
weather, two to four spongings with cool water. 

Plenty of fresh air. Room kept free from all dirt. 

Baby needs plenty of sleep and quiet. Do not give it a 
“ Pacifier.” 

Keep the baby absolutely clean. 

If one cannot afford a doctor send word to the Depart- 
ment of Health. 

We then closed our meeting by singing a lullaby. 


WELL BABIES 


225 


Nurse. You certainly have done well, Little Mothers, 
and I am very sure all the babies you have cared for will 
be better for what you have done. 

Bertha. Let us close our meeting by singing our Little 
Mothers’ League song. 

Upon our faces shines a light, 

Our toiling mothers have not seen, 

America’s high torch of white, 

We bring to pierce their troubled night ; 

We little mothers of Fifteen — 

Of dear Fifteen, of dear Fifteen, 

And so our sisters and our brothers 
Have each of them two loving mothers, 

To make them grow up sweet and clean. 

And in our homes new glory start, 

And child and mother on us lean — 

0 School, that taught us this sweet art, 

We lay our heart upon your heart, 

We little mothers of Fifteen, — 

0 dear Fifteen, 0 dear Fifteen, 

Your radiant light, your loving power 
Shall teach our spirits till we flower 
In womanhood, superb, serene. 

(Written for the Little Mothers’ League of 
Public School 15, Manhattan, by James 
Oppenheim.) 






































































































































































* 






















































































A GEOGRAPHICAL SQUABBLE 

By Anna M. Lutkenhaus. 


CHARACTERS 


J UDGE. 
JURORS. 


Plaintiff. 

Defendant. 

Witness. 


United States 

Chile (foreman) 

Colombia 

Venezuela 

Guiana 

Ecuador 

Bolivia 

Peru 

Paraguay 

Uruguay 

Canada 

Mexico 

Central America 
Brazil 
Argentina 
West Indies 




Court Crier. Wind 


A GEOGRAPHICAL SQUABBLE 

Judge. The case to be tried is one of libel brought by 
the country of Brazil against the country of Argentina. 
The latter has stated that it is the more important country. 
Court Crier Wind, call the jurors. 

Court Crier. Chile. 

Chile. I am a republic, 2600 miles long, in the Torrid 
and South Temperate Zones; contain highest mountains; 
rank third in commerce in South America. I export 
nitrates, silver, copper, wheat, and barley. My capital is 
Santiago; seaport, Valparaiso. 

Court Crier. Colombia. 

Colombia. I was named in honor of Columbus ; I am a 
republic ; in Torrid Zone ; land not much cultivated ; capital, 
Bogota; I export coffee, sugar-cane, tobacco, cocoa, gold, 
silver, and emeralds. 

Court Crier. Venezula. 

Venezuela. My name means little Venice. I am the 
most northern state of South America ; in Torrid Zone. I 
contain Lake Maracaibo, and the Orinoco River drains me. 
Capital, Caracas. Chief exports are coffee and cocoa. 
Chief industry is cattle raising. 

Court Crier. Guiana. 

Guiana. I am owned by three great nations; my three 
parts are called British Guiana, French Guiana, Dutch 
Guiana. 


229 


230 


A GEOGRAPHICAL SQUABBLE 


Court Crier. Ecuador. 

Ecuador. I am on the western coast of South America, 
in the Torrid Zone. My capital is Quito, on the Equator. 

Court Crier. Bolivia. 

Bolivia. I have no coast ; am in the Torrid Zone. 

Court Crier. Peru. 

Peru. I am one of the most enlightened republics of 
South America, and am very famous in history. Lima is 
my capital, renowned for the Spanish bull fights. I have 
great mineral wealth. 

Court Crier. Paraguay. 

Paraguay. I am a very little country east of Argentina. 

Court Crier. Uruguay. 

Uruguay. I am a small country east of Buenos Aires. 

Court Crier. Canada. 

Canada. I belong to Great Britain. With the excep- 
tion of Alaska, I am the most northern part of North 
America. I am divided into provinces. My capital is 
Ottawa ; chief seaport, Halifax. My chief exports are 
nickel, gold, silver, furs, lumber, wheat. 

Court Crier. Mexico. 

Mexico. I am southeast of the United States in the 
North Temperate and Torrid Zones. I am a republic, capi- 
tal, City of Mexico. Chief exports are silver, coal, pearls, 
corn, cattle, and hides. 

Court Crier. Central America. 

Central America. I am southeast of Mexico ; in Torrid 
Zone ; consist of five independent republics and one British 


A GEOGRAPHICAL SQUABBLE 231 

colony. My trade is backward owing to the dense, rugged 
forests. 

Court Crier. Witness for Plaintiff. 

West Indies. I am the West Indies; islands lying in the 
Atlantic Ocean, in the Torrid Zone. I heard the waves of 
the Atlantic Ocean echo Argentina’s words: “We are 
more important than Brazil.” 

Court Crier. Lawyer for Brazil. 

Lawyer for Brazil. Your Honor, the United States, 
and States of the Jury: I shall endeavor to prove to you 
what a gross libel Argentina has committed against us. 
We are the largest country in South America, containing 
75 per cent, of the area and population of South America, 
and we touch almost every other State. Why, your Honor, 
we are nearly as large as you, the United States. We con- 
tain the Selvas with dense forests and beautiful flowers 
and we are drained by the greatest river, the Amazon, 
which is navigable for hundreds of miles. We produce 
more coffee than all the rest of the world. Our rubber sup- 
plies most of the other countries. Besides that we have 
some of the richest mines in the world. We have twenty- 
two lines of railway. Our capital, Rio de Janeiro, has one 
of the finest harbors in the world. Your Honor, and States 
of the Jury, I could go on for hours but I know it is need- 
less, as you have surely come to the conclusion that the 
country of Brazil is more important than Argentina. 

Court Crier. Lawyer for Argentina. 

Lawyer for Argentina. Your Honor and States of the 
Jury: I hope you noticed how cleverly the Attorney for 
Brazil left out some very important points. Our delight- 
ful climate here in Argentina is favorable to the develop- 


232 


A GEOGRAPHICAL SQUABBLE 


ment of an energetic people in place of the inert people 
which the climate of Brazil produces. Most of our country 
is a plain and that allows the people to move around more 
easily. We are one of the greatest wool, beef, and mutton 
exporting countries in the world. We have more railroads 
than Brazil, with our fine flat country, therefore our 
products are carried easily to the coast and that makes our 
commerce with Europe greater. And then our beautiful 
capital, Buenos Aires. It is the largest city of South 
America, with a fine harbor, beautiful buildings and parks, 
good government, and best of all fine schools. Therefore, 
Your Honor, United States, and States of the Jury, you 
cannot fail to see how much more important we are than 
Brazil. 

Judge. States of the Jury, you have heard the sides of 
the plaintiff and defendant. I charge you to weigh care- 
fully the evidence and bring in a just decision. 

[Jury comes back.] 

Chile. [Foreman.] Your Honor, the jury cannot agree 
in the verdict. 


THE END 


A GRAMMAR PLAY 

By Anna M. Lutkenhaus. 

(The complete sentence: My friend said, ‘‘Alas! the grammar is 
very hard, yet it can be turned into a pleasure.”) 

(Note: This play was arranged for a class beginning the study 
of English grammar. The children arranged the lists of preposi- 
tions and conjunctions in songs.) 


CHARACTERS 

Marks of Punctuation 


Capital 

Exclamation Point 
T wo Commas 
Peeiod 

Quotation Masks (four) . 


Parts of Speech 

Band of Prepositions, several children 
Period 

Interjections, several boys 

Seven Nouns and Pronouns, seven boys 

Seven Verbs, seven girls 

Adjectives, six girls 

Adverb 

Band of Conjunctions, six or more children 


A GRAMMAR PLAY 


[Marks of Punctuation stand in front.] 

Capital. We are the lost punctuation marks. Some one 
wrote a sentence and forgot to use us and we are hunting 
our places. We are very, very important, although some 
children neglect us dreadfully. I am the capital “M” and 
belong at the beginning of the sentence. 

Period. I am a period. I belong after abbreviations, 
and after every statement. 

Exclamation Point. I am an exclamation point. Some 
children call me by the baby name, “ Wonder Mark.’’ I 
belong after exclamatory sentences and expressions that 
denote strong feeling. 

First Comma. We are commas. Whenever you really 
must pause in a sentence to take a short breath, you should 
place one of us. 

Second Comma. Before and after a quotation, to sepa- 
rate words in series from the rest of the sentence, to set 
off words in apposition, and many more places, you must 
use us. 

First Pair of Quotation Marks. We always run out 
when any one begins to speak. But, oh, children do forget 
us. 

Second Pair of Quotation Marks. We always come 
235 


236 


A GRAMMAR PLAY 


out when the person finishes speaking, and we are called 
“Quotation Marks.” 

Capital. I see a band of Parts of Speech coming. We 
must try to find our sentence. 

Exclamation Point. They are the singing prepositions. 

Period. I shall sing also, and we must be very polite to 
them. 

Band of Prepositions [Set to the music of “Cheer, 
Boys, Cheer.”] 

On, down, upon, above, against, amongst, around, 
Beside, beneath, below, before, among, amid, 

Aboard, about, above, across, until, into, aside, 
Beneath, beside, before, around, about, below. 

Period. 

Of, in, on, up, with, till, into, under, 

Near, behind, before, past, above, beneath, below, 

Over, until, beside, without, aboard, across, against, 
Down, through, around, into, beyond, off, about. 

Band of Prepositions. A preposition is a word placed 
before a noun or pronoun to show its relation to some other 
word in the sentence. 

Capital. Did you see anything of a sentence hunting 
its marks of punctuation ? 

Band of Prepositions. Yes, it met our band and we took 
our own. Come forward, “Into.” [“Into” steps out in 
front.] 

Exclamation Point. Here come some noisy fellows. 

Interjections. [Yelling.] Hurrah! hurrah! ah! eh! 
tut! tut! alas! oh! 0! pshaw! pshaw! An interjection is 


A GRAMMAR PLAY 237 

a word expressing strong feeling and not related to other 
words in the sentence. 

Capital. Have you any word belonging to our sentence? 

An Interjection. “Alas,” come forward. [“Alas” 
takes its place in front.] 

[Nouns followed by the Pronouns walk proudly in. 
Verbs come in at the same time.] 

Nouns. We are the Nouns and our substitutes the Pro- 
nouns. We are of the greatest importance. Without us 
and our friends, the Verbs [point to Verbs], there would 
be no sentences. Every sentence must have a subject and 
predicate. A noun is a word used as the name of some- 
thing. A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun. 

Capital. Then if you are so important you must have 
part of our sentence. 

First Noun. We have three Nouns and two Pronouns. 
Come forward “Friend,” “Grammar,” “Pleasure,” 
“My,” and “It.” [Nouns and Pronouns take places.] 

Verbs. We are the Verbs. A sentence could not do 
without us. A verb is a word used to express action or 
being. 

Capital. You also must have part of our sentence. 

First Verb. We have three Verbs belonging to your 
sentence and one has two auxiliary or helping parts. Come 
forward “Said,” “Is,” and “Turned,” with your helps, 
“Can,” and “Be.” 

Adjectives. [Dancing in.] We are the words that 
make everything clearer, plainer, more beautiful or more 
dreadful. An adjective is a word used to describe a noun 
or pronoun. 


238 


A GRAMMAR PLAY 


Capital. Have you any part of our sentence? 

An Adjective. Oh, yes. We have “The,” and “A,” 
and “Hard.” [Adjectives take proper places.] 

Adverb. [Followed Adjectives in.] I am an adverb 
and belong to your sentence. An adverb is a word used to 
modify a verb, adjective, another adverb or a statement. I 
am “Very.” [Takes place.] 

Capital. [Turning to Points of Punctuation.] All 
we need now is our Conjunction “Yet,” and then we shall 
take our places. Here come the Conjunctions ! 

Conjunctions. [To the music of “The Battle Hymn of 
the Republic.”] 

Nevertheless, and, as, although, but, because, for, nor, 
if, lest, 

Or, since, still, though, therefore, than, unless, where, 
whether, wherefore, yet, 

And, as, although, but, because, for, nor, if, lest, how- 
ever, since, 

But, if, although, as, yet. 

First Conjunction. [To the music of “Hush, the 
Waves Are Rolling In.”] 

And, as, though, if, lest, nor, 

Although, but, because, yet; 

Since, still, than, therefore, nor, 

Whether, since, therefore, yet. 

Conjunctions. A conjunction is a word used to join a 
word or statement to another word or statement. 

First Conjunction. “Yet,” come forward. 

Capital. Now our sentence is complete. Will each 


A GRAMMAR PLAY 


239 


character please say its name and then let us say our entire 
sentence. 

[Each character says its name.] 

Capital M My friend said comma quotation marks 
Alas exclamation point the grammar is very hard comma 
yet it can be turned into a pleasure period quotation marks 

All. My friend said, £ 1 Alas ! the grammar is very hard, 
yet it can be turned into a pleasure.’ ’ 



MRS. POLLYWIGS AND HER WONDER- 
FUL WAXWORKS 

By Anna M. Lutkenhaus. 


CHARACTERS 


Mbs. Pollywigs. Dressed in evening costume; large hat; gloves. 

James and Chables. Regular boy costumes or sweaters and bloom- 
ers if parts are taken by girls. 

Jenny, the maid. Cap and apron; carries feather duster. 

The Wonderful Waxworks 

Maby, who had a little lamb. Street dress. 

Paul Revebe. Blue coat; three-cornered hat. 

Giggles, the child who giggled in school and giggled ever after. 
Street costume. 

Roderick Dhu and James Fitz-James. Roderick Dhu in Scotch 
plaid costume; James Fitz-James in suit made of green lining. 

Dancing Dolls, four girls in white dresses. 

Rip Van Winkle. Long tailed coat; white beard. 

Queen Elizabeth. Very full skirt, stiffened; bodice; high ruche; 
Crown. 

Pied Pipes of Hamelin. Red and yellow full cape; cap. 

The Leader of “The Charge of the Light Brigade.” Red suit and 
hat. 

Singing Twins. White dresses, red hair ribbons. 

First School Janitor. Janitor’s cap; long coat. 

Paganini, whose violin is so very old. Long tailed coat. 

The Village Blacksmith. Oilcloth or leather apron. 

Little Jack Horneb. Short jacket; broad collar. 

Brutus and Cassius. White Roman tunics; togas edged with red 
chintz. 

Stage Material 

A large oilcan, used in oiling machinery, one that will make a loud 
noise when punched. 

A winder — can be bought at the Five Cent stores, and it is wise to 
always have an extra one in reserve, as it breaks easily. This 
winder resembles the old police signal, makes a loud rattle, and 
is used at the back of each waxwork to set it in motion. 

Scene: The platform of a concert hall. 


MRS. POLLYWIGS AND HER WONDER- 
FUL WAXWORKS 


The gestures used by the waxworks, after being wound 
up, are very stiff and awkward. Waxworks should run 
down once in a while at climaxes. 

[Mrs. Pollywigs comes bustling in. Removes hat and 
gloves while the attendants bring in waxworks and ar- 
range them at back of stage. Lively music by orchestra 
during this. Maid dusts them. Some do not stand 
straight and need to be propped. One falls over.] 

Mrs. Pollywigs. Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, 
I am Mrs. Pollywigs, one of the most remarkable women of 
the world, who has traveled all over the country with my 
curious and most wonderful collection of waxworks. I 
have the honor this evening to show them to you. A few of 
them were bequeathed to me by my great-grandmother, Mrs. 
Jarley. These, as you will easily understand, are very old, 
and often need repairing. But the others will make you 
gasp in astonishment. After many conferences with that 
wizard of invention, Mr. Thomas Edison, I have been able 
to produce these waxworks that actually speak and sing in 
an almost human manner. In fact some of them are so real 
that they often actually laugh without being wound up ! 
Now, if you will give me your kind attention we shall begin 
this wonderful show. James and Charles, bring forward 
little Mary. Be very careful. This is the waxwork of the 

243 


244 MRS. POLLYWIGS 

child that really owned that little lamb. Charles, wind her 
np. 

Little Mary. [Is brought to front of stage and wound 
and oiled.] 

Mary had a little lamb, 

Its fleece was white as snow, 

And everywhere that Mary went 
The lamb was sure to go. 

It followed her to school one day, 

"Which was against the rule, 

It made the children laugh and play 
To see a lamb at school. 

Mrs. Pollywigs. Bring forward that renowned man 
Paul Revere. So imbued was he with his mission and the 
help that his horse was giving that he unconsciously makes 
his feet move to the motion. He is a most marvelous ex- 
hibit. 

[Paul Revere, when wound up, constantly moves feet.] 
Paul Revere. 

Listen, my children, and you shall hear 
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, 

On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five; 

Hardly a man is now alive 

Who remembers that famous day and year. 

He said to his friend, “If the British march 
By land or sea from the town to-night, 

Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch 
Of the North Church Tower as a signal light, — 

One, if by land, and two, if by sea; 

And I on the opposite shore will be, 

Ready to ride and spread the alarm 


MRS. POLLYWIGS 


245 


Through every Middlesex village and farm, 

For the country folk to be up and to arm. 

Mrs. Pollywigs. Our next figure, ladies and gentlemen, 
boys and girls, is the saddest exhibit we have. It is a warn- 
ing to you all. The original of this little girl giggled in 
school when it was wrong to do it. She has giggled ever 
since. Bring the giggler. 

Giggler. [Giggles — stops suddenly — wound again — 
giggles , etc.] 

Mrs. Pollywigs. Bring out Roderick Dhu and James 
Fitz- James. These I am very proud of. They are almost 
priceless. They are not for sale. The tones in which they 
utter their famous words are the nearest to human speech 
that I have ever heard in any invention. Proceed, brave 
Roderick and valiant James. 

Roderick Dhu. 

Saxon, from yonder mountain high 
I marked thee send delighted eye, 

Far to the south and east, where lay, 

Extended in succession gray, 

Deep waving field and pastures green, 

With gentle slopes and groves between. 

Seek other cause ’gainst Roderick Dhu? 

James Fitz- James. 

And if I sought 

Think ’st thou, no other could be brought? 

I ’ll never rest, until before me stand, 

This rebel chieftain and his band. 

Roderick Dhu. 

Have then thy wish, 


246 


MRS. POLLYWIGS 


These are Clan Alpine’s warriors true, 

And, Saxon, I am Roderick Dhu. 

James Fitz- James. 

Come one, come all, 

This rock shall fly from its firm base, 

As soon as I. 

Mrs. Pollywigs. Now you will see my famous dancing 
dolls. Although they do not talk, I am sure you will ac- 
knowledge them most graceful. [Dance “Maid of Mist.” 
At different times dancers run down and need winding .] 
Mrs. Pollywigs. Bring forward the leader of the 
Charge of the Light Brigade. This, ladies and gentleman, 
is the original leader of that famous six hundred — 4 1 Theirs 
but to do and die ! ’ 9 

Leader. 

Half a league, half a league, 

Half a league onward, 

All in the valley of death 
Rode the six hundred. 

“Forward, the Light Brigade! 

Charge for the guns!” he said; 

Into the valley of Death 
Rode the six hundred. 

Cannon to the right of them, 

Cannon to left of them, 

Cannon in front of them 
Volleyed and thundered; 

Stormed at with shot and shell, 

Boldly they rode and well, 

Into the mouth of Hell 
Rode the six hundred. 


MRS. POLLYWIGS 247 

Mrs. Pollywigs. The Singing Twins! ( Sing “Juan- 
ita.”) 

Mrs. Pollywigs. Bring forward Queen Bess. See 
her loyal hand! Many an unfortunate waiting maid has 
felt it. Jenny, recite those famous lines written about her. 

Jenny. 

She shall be loved and feared ; her own shall bless her ; 

Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn, 

And hang their heads with sorrow ; good grows with her. 

In her days every man shall eat in safety 

Under his own vine what he plants; and sing 

The merry songs of peace to all his neighbors. 

Mrs. Pollywigs. Rip Van Winkle. One of those be- 
queathed to me. See, James, hold him. He cannot keep 
awake. [Rip tumbles over and is taken back.] 

Mrs. Pollywigs. Bring out Mr. McCormack. This, 
ladies and gentlemen, is the first school janitor. He has 
said the same thing so many times that he can say nothing 
else. 

Janitor. Children are a nuisance ! Pick up those 
papers ! Is it warm enough ? Have you heat enough ? 

Mrs. Pollywigs. We have now, Paganini, the great 
violinist. His instrument is very old, so are his joints. Be 
patient with him. 

Paganini. [Plays a few strains. Stops. Is oiled. A 
few more, etc.] 

Mrs. Pollywigs. The Pied Piper of Hamelin. I had 
intended having a thousand little wax rats but was afraid 
of frightening the little girls. 


248 


MRS. POLLYWIGS 


Pied Piper. 

Into the street the piper stept, 

Smiling first a little smile, 

As if he knew what magic slept 
In his quiet pipe the while ; 

Then, like a musical adept, 

To blow the pipe his lips he wrinkled, 

And green and blue his sharp eyes twinkled, 

Like a candle-flame where salt is sprinkled; 

And ere three shrill notes the pipe uttered, 

You heard as if an army muttered; 

And the muttering grew to a grumbling ; 

And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling ; 

And out of the houses the rats came tumbling. 

Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats, 

Brown rats, black rats, gray rats, tawny rats, 

Grave old plodders, gay young friskers, 

Fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins, 

Families by tens and dozens, 

Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, — 

Followed the Piper for their lives. 

From street to street he piped advancing, 

And step for step they followed dancing, 

Until they came to the river Weser, 

Wherein all plunged and perished! 

Mrs. Pollywigs. Bring out the Village Blacksmith. 
Look at his sinewy arm. Hear him bellow forth his part. 

Village Blacksmith. 

Under a spreading chestnut-tree 
The village smithy stands; 

The smith, a mighty man is he, 

With large and sinewy hands; 


MRS. POLLYWIGS 


249 


And the muscles of his brawny arms 
Are strong as iron bands. 

His hair is crisp, and black, and long, 

His face is like the tan; 

His brow is wet with honest sweat, 

He earns whate’er he can, 

And looks the whole world in the face, 

For he owes not any man. 

Mrs. Pollywigs. Another of the works left to me by 
Mrs. Jarley. All he can do is pull out a plum. [Jack 
Horner puts his thumb into the pie and pulls out a prune.] 
And now the two original Romans, who have done their 
part bravely in every schoolhouse in the land. Ladies and 
gentlemen-, the original Brutus and Cassius. 

Brutus. What means this shouting ? 

I do fear, the people choose Caesar for their king. 

Cassius. Aye, do you fear it ? 

Then must I think you would not have it so. 

Brutus. I would not, Cassius, yet I love him well. 

Mrs. Pollywigs. Our show is over. We thank you for 
your indulgence and wish you a very good night. James 
and Charles, wind up the works. [All the figures, as wound 
up, commence doing their particular duty — dolls dance ; 
Little Mary “Baa’s,” twins sing, Paganini plays, etc. 
All walk off the stage performing .] 


finis 


























































































































S\ 

































































































. 















FOUR QUEENS OF ENGLAND 

Prologues written by girls of 8 A. Age 13*4 years. 

Epilogues written by girls of 8A. 

Queen Stories written by girls of 7B. Age 13 years. 

Jingles from a little book called “Kings and Queens of England,” 
by Basil Pboctob, published by Chatto & Windus, London. 









'rv 










































FOUR QUEENS OF ENGLAND 


PROLOGUE IN VERSE. 

Men have come and men have gone, 

Been praised for good deeds, looked upon 
As heroes of a nation ; 

But why should women neglected he ? 

Deserve not they a nation’s fee? 

Come forward, women of the past, 

Your praise shall ne’er omitted be; 

Tho’ poets great and historians too 
Your names forsake, ne’er shall they be 
By us, the women of the free. 

PROLOGUE IN PROSE 

We, the women of this great Republic, look back into the 
history of the world. Full are the pages of the merits of 
brave men who have rendered to this world many good 
deeds. Although their deeds resound from land to land, 
we, the women, cannot under any circumstances omit our 
praise of the deeds which many great women have done. 
In England, many women have shown by their great will, 
courage, and education, that not only men but women also 
may help the country’s welfare. From among the brave 
women of England a few queens may be named — Elizabeth, 
Mary, Anne and Victoria. 


253 


254 


FOUR QUEENS OF ENGLAND 


Women, great women of England, forward come! 

And relate to your friends the fame yon have won ; 

When the great crown of jewels lay safe on your head, 

The purity, the goodness, of life which you led. 

[As Queen Elizabeth, dressed in full, stiff skirt ; pointed 
bodice ; high ruche , crown , comes forward, the class 
recites following jingle.] 

Class. 

In fifty-eight Queen Boss ascends, 

And does her most to make amends ; 

She put to rout the whole Armada, 

No easy task, but what was harder, 

While many might their suit be urgin’, 

She till the end remained a virgin. 

Queen Elizabeth. Well I remember the day when first 
I rode through the streets of London. When I followed 
the chase and came to the forest glade, nymphs awaited me. 
It was a happy day then, I had all new hopes and the spirit 
of life was in me. Everybody seemed glad to see me. The 
citizens opened their hearts to me. Yes, but that was in 
bygone days. I remember well when I was in a chariot 
followed by knights and courtiers, how a maiden, dressed 
all in white as Truth, lowered a Bible by a golden cord. I 
could not decide whether I should be Protestant or 
Catholic, and it was no easy task. I was in no hurry to 
marry. If it had been necessary to keep peace with other 
countries I might have done so, but anyhow, I liked to have 
them flatter me and I kept them in suspense. And the 
Armada! that was a great event. I can recollect the time 
when I, clad in armor, mounted on my white steed, rode 
among them, and made a speech which stirred their loyalty. 
“Let tyrants fear, “I said, “my strength and safety are 


FOUR QUEENS OF ENGLAND 


255 


in the loyal hearts of my people. I know I am a weak and 
feeble woman, but I have the heart of a King of England. 
And in this fight the proud Invincible Army failed. 

It was hard work to rule such a country, but I did my 
best and my people acknowledged it. Literature went along 
well in my reign. Shakespeare, good lad, — I remember the 
poem he wrote flattering me. And Philip with his Invinci- 
ble Armada, — he thought I loved him, but I was only try- 
ing to get Spain. And Walter Raleigh, bold lad, — I took 
him into my confidence the first time I set eyes upon him 
and he was worthy of that title of knight. My reign may 
be forgotten, but I know that I did my best, and one thing 
that can never be forgotten by my people is defeating the 
Invincible Armada. 

Class. 

Mary, 1689-1702. 

So Mary, James the Second’s daughter, 

Weds William from across the water, 

William the Third — and hand in hand 
They wisely dominate the land. 

Mary. [Dressed in much narrower shirt than Eliza- 
beth ; lace collar turned down on neck; hair dressed very 
high ; crown.\ I am Queen Mary and I was born June 30, 
1662. My father had only two daughters, my sister Anne 
and me, and when he fled to France during the Revolution, 
I became queen. I heard the English people say that I 
am of a gentle nature and they all love me because I am so 
kind and good to them. I married William III of Orange, 
son of William II, and I became queen and my husband 
king in the year 1689. When I was crowned the Bill of 
Rights was passed, the third great document that goes to 
make up the unwritten Constitution of my land. It pre- 


256 FOUR QUEENS OF ENGLAND 

vents any future king or queen from breaking the laws as 
many of the Stuarts have done. I tried my best to fulfil all 
the Parliamentary rights. After this the Toleration Act 
was passed which gave religious freedom to all sects except 
Roman Catholics, and the Mutiny Act which gave me power 
over the army only one year at a time. 

Class. 

Anne, 1702-1714. 

Thus eighty-nine to seventeen-two, 

When Anne appears upon our view, 

An amiable and worthy queen, 

Tho’ rather dull she must have been. 

In fourteen Annie seeks her shroud, 

And the last Stuart head is bowed. 

Anne. [Dressed in low necked dress , lace turned down 
from neck. Hair hanging. Crown.] When I think of 
the past, I can easily recollect the day when a herald came 
to my house and proclaimed me the Queen of England. 
Amid the shouts of the people, I was taken to the palace 
and given the crown. At first I was liked by the people, 
including the nobles, and nicknamed Good Queen Anne, 
but later they disliked me because they thought I was 
foolish. I believed in the Divine Right of Kings, which 
they considered a very stupid idea, but I would not give 
it up for the sake of the people. The war with Spain filled 
most of my reign. My army, which was commanded by 
John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, won every battle 
that was fought. That proud country, Spain, was so badly 
beaten that it lost all its pride. The fort of Gibraltar 
was captured during this war. After Elizabeth’s era, mine 
comes in importance in literature. I ruled to make Eng- 
land a strong and prosperous nation, although it was not 
appreciated. 


FOUR QUEENS OF ENGLAND 


257 


Class. 


Victoria, 1837-1901. 

And after him that priceless lass, 

Whose wisdom no one shall surpass, 

In all the grace of eighteen summers, 
To shame put these poor futile mummers, 
And reigned, as none had reigned before, 
For sixty years and four years more, 
From thirty-seven to nineteen-one, 

Thus Queen Victoria. 


Queen Victoria. [Old fashioned dress ; hair parted in 
middle; lace scarf arranged on head; crown.] It was one 
June day, when I was awakened by a great tumult in my 
house. After arising I gazed at all the people with won- 
dering eyes. There were bishops, archbishops, nobles and 
illustrious commoners. Have you any idea what they came 
for? What were they talking about to my mother? With 
eyes fixed on me one said, “I wonder whether she will be 
elated by her new honors, or self-possessed, or shy and 
embarrassed ? ” I remember when I was about eleven years 
old I asked my mother this question, 4 ‘ Mother,’ ’ said I, 
“I do not see who is to be the next sovereign of England 
unless it is myself.’’ I never received any definite answer 
to this question, but now I was answered unexpectedly. I 
was as happy as a lark when the crown was given to me. 
I then took the solemn oath which said that I promised to 
do everything within my power to help make my country 
one of the greatest nations in the world. I was welcomed 
most heartily and was always kind-hearted and loyal to my 
subjects, and so I gradually became beloved by my people. 
The happiest period in my life was my twenty years of 
marriage with Prince Albert, and at his death I was over- 
whelmed with grief. During my time there were many men 


258 


FOUR QUEENS OF ENGLAND 


who were interested in writing, and this is what Alfred 
Tennyson, Poet Laureate, said concerning me, — 

Her court was pure; her life serene, 

God gave her peace, her land reposed, 

A thousand claims to reverence closed 
In her as Mother, Wife and Queen. 

There are many world-stirring events during my reign 
which I shall not relate to you, for I should think most of 
you girls in this assembly know many of them and even 
those who have not reached this grade where English His- 
tory is studied I hope some day will. My last wish on earth 
is that I shall be remembered by my people when my work 
in this world is done. 

Epilogue in Verse. 

Stay now, ye honored queens of noble birth, 

Prove that ye have been a blessing to the earth, 
Show that the brave will ne’er forgotten be, 

And woman can rule as we now see. 

Epilogue in Prose. 

Now, my friends, do not these people deserve to be re- 
membered forever after doing such great and brave deeds ? 
It was not an easy task to rule a country where the people 
were constantly quarreling about religion, government and 
other things. Although it was hard for Elizabeth, M&ry, 
Anne and Victoria to rule their native country, they did it 
faithfully and tried to please their people. 

Where’er brave deeds are treasured and told, 

In the tales of yore, 

Like jewels of price in a chain of gold 
Are their names and the fame they bore. 


POUR QUEENS OP ENGLAND 


259 


Other subjects treated in this way, where the play is written by 
the children and where the whole grade is interested in studying 
the history of the time and in helping to get the play ready for 
presentation are: 

Famous Characters of Europe Tell Their Stories — including Al- 
fred, the Great; King John and the Magna Charta; Joan of Arc; 
Napoleon; King George III, etc. 

The Coming of Lafayette — written to celebrate the Centenary of 
the Alliance of France and the United States. 

The Hundredth Anniversary of the Building of the New York City 
Hall. 

In Search of the New (outline of this in Columbus Day Program) 
written in celebration of Columbus Day to show that the discovery 
of America was only one item in the great march of progress in 
the world. 


THE END 
































































































































































































































































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A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA 

Arranged by Irene M. Aitken, Public School 15, Manhattan. 

This dramatic exercise and the one following are used for morning 
assembly in a school made up largely of children from foreign lands. 
In the selections, therefore, is found that note of welcome to the 
strangers within the gates of America. 

Any good patriotic selections may be used, and always with most 
impressive effect if children are trained to recite dramatically, that 
is, with gesture suiting the action to the word. 

The following selections have been collected from many sources. 






A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA 


First Speaker. “A nation is not a heap of sand-grains. 
It is an organism all alive, in which each cell and germ feeds 
each other and by each is fed. And as every cell in an 
apple tree belongs to an apple-tree, and every cell in an 
oak-tree belongs to an oak, and as no cell can live alone — 
not an hour — so does every child of America belong to 
America, and America belongs to every child of hers.” 

Second Speaker. ■ ‘ God hath made one blood all nations 
of men, and we are His children, brothers and sisters all. 
We are citizens of these United States and we believe onr 
flag stands for self-sacrifice for the good of all people. We 
want, therefore, to be true citizens of our great country, 
and will show our love to her by our works. Our coun- 
try does not ask us to die for her welfare only, — she asks 
us to live for her, and so to live and so to act that her 
government may be pure, her officers honest, and every 
corner of her territory a place fit to grow the best men 
and women, who shall rule over her.” 

Third Speaker. “What the United States shall become 
to-morrow will lie in the hands of those who are the chil- 
dren of to-day. If every citizen cares for his own gain 
alone, the country will become weak, but if every one cares 
for the gain of all, it will become strong, and the world will 
be the better because of the power and the greatness of the 
United States of America.” 

Fourth Speaker. [As the word “flag” is mentioned , 
263 


264 


A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA 


the Color Guard steps forward ; the Captain faces the entire 
school. Directions for Military Salute are given in ‘ ‘Young 
America’s Manual,” by John W. Davis.] “Patriotism is 
not the more holding of a great flag unfurled, but making 
it the goodliest in the world.” 

Fifth Speaker. 4 ‘ Our flag is the emblem of the supreme 
will of a nation’s power. Beneath its folds, the weakest 
must be protected and the strongest must obey.” 

Sixth Speaker. “The flag of the American Union, now 
as never before, tells of toleration and good-will, of educa- 
tion and of industry. It has welcomed millions from all 
nations of the world and has held out the equal chance to 
all who came under its folds.” 

Seventh Speaker. [As this quotation is recited the 
school rises silently.] 

“0 brave flag, 0 bright flag, 

0 flag to lead the free ! 

The hand of God thy colors blent, 

And heaven to earth thy glory lent, 

To shield the weak, and guide the strong, 

To make an end of human wrong, 

And draw a hundred million hearts 
To follow after thee.” 

Captain. Color Guard, to the front, march! [The 
piano playing “To the Colors.”] 

[When the Color Guard arrives at the front and center , 
the Captain delivers the Colors to the Color Sergeant, 
the Guard and Captain saluting.] 

Captain. About face! [The Color Sergeant and 
Guard face the school.] 


A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA 


265 


Captain. Right hand, salute ! [Executed by the 
School and at the same time the Colors are dipped.] 

School. [Holding right hand in salute.] “I pledge 
allegiance to nay flag and to the Republic for which it 
stands ; one nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for 
all.” 

Song. 1 1 America . 9 9 

Captain. Color Guard, to your post, march. [The 
Color Guard proceeds to the rear of the assembly room , 
the piano playing “To the Colors.” Signal — School 
seated.] 


APOSTROPHE TO THE FLAG 

Arranged by Irene M. Aitken, Public School 15, Manhattan. 

(The following quotations have been collected from many 
sources.) 

First Speaker. “The flag for which the heroes fought, 
for which they died, is the symbol of all we are, of all we 
hope to be.” 

Second Speaker. “It is the emblem of equal rights.” 

Third Speaker. “It means free hands, free lips, self- 
government, and the sovereignty of the individual.” 

Fourth Speaker. “It means that this continent has 
been dedicated to freedom.” 

Fifth Speaker. “It means universal education — light 
for every mind, knowledge for every child.” 

Sixth Speaker. “It means that the schoolhouse is the 
fortress of liberty . 9 9 

Seventh Speaker. “It means that it is the duty of 


266 


A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA 


every citizen to bear his share of the public burden, to take 
his part in the affairs of his town, county, his state and his 
country. ’ ’ 

Eighth Speaker. “It means that the ballot box is the 
Ark of the Covenant ; that the source of authority must not 
be poisoned. ” 

Ninth Speaker. ‘ 1 It means the perpetual right of peace- 
ful revolution. It means that every citizen of the Republic, 
native or naturalized, must be protected ; — at home, in every 
state, abroad, in every land, on every sea. ’ ’ 

Tenth Speaker. “It means that all distinctions based 
on birth or blood have perished from our laws ; that our 
government shall stand between labor and capital, between 
the weak and the strong, between the individual and the 
corporation, between want and wealth, and give the guaran- 
tee of simple justice to each and all.” 

Eleventh Speaker. “It means that there shall be a 
legal remedy for every wrong. ’ ’ 

Twelfth Speaker. “It means national hospitality, that 
we must welcome to our shores the exiles of the world and 
that we may not drive them back. Some may be deformed 
by labor, dwarfed by hunger, broken in spirit, victims of 
tyranny and caste, yet their children born of liberty and 
love, will be symmetrical and fair, intelligent and free.” 

Thirteenth Speaker. “That flag is the emblem of a 
supreme will of a nation’s power. Beneath its folds the 
weakest must be protected and the strongest must obey. It 
shields and canopies alike the loftiest mansion and the 
rudest hut.” 

Fourteenth Speaker. “That flag was given to the air 
in the Revolution’s darkest days. It represents the suffer- 


A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA 


267 


ings of the past, the glories yet to be; and like the bow of 
heaven is the child of storm and sun. ’ * 

Fifteenth Speaker. “ Every new star added to its blue 
field has told of a new State, and every new State tells of 
more farms cleared, more factories opened, more churches 
and schools set in motion, and more laws and courts to reg- 
ulate them all and to assure the equal rights to every one. 

Sixteenth Speaker. “Our flag hails us to individual 
duties and it insists that we set a compelling example, 
which will enlarge both security and freedom,, both peace ^ 
and prosperity, in all parts of the world. ’ ’ 

Seventeenth Speaker. [As selection is recited the flag 
is carried slowly up the center aisle , the speaker follow- 
ing it with eye and gesture.] 

“Oh, flag of a resolute nation, 

Oh, flag of the strong and free, 

The cherished of true-hearted millions 
We hallow thy colors three! 

Three proud floating emblems of glory, 

Our guide for the coming time, 

The red, white, and blue in their beauty — 

Love gives them a meaning sublime.” 

Salute to the Flag by School. [Salute as given under 
“A Tribute to America/’] 

Song. ‘ ‘ Star Spangled Banner. ’ ’ 


the end 










A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR THE 
SPECIAL DAYS 


/ 













A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR THE 
SPECIAL DAYS 


GRADUATION DAY— JANUARY 

1. Opening Anthem — “Lift Thine Eyes” — Mendels- 

sohn’s “Elijah,” Harmonic Fifth Reader, page 
126. American Book Co. 

2. Reading of the Scriptures. 

3. Hymn — “The Lord Is My Shepherd” — Smart. 

American Music Reader, No. IV, page 243. 
Macmillan Co. 

4. Address of Welcome — A Graduate. 

5. Quotations — My Task — about twelve selections from 

great authors recited by the graduates. 

6. Song — “Lullaby” — Hiller. Silver Song Series No. 6, 

page 16, Silver, Burdett and Co. 

7. Dramatization of “The Secret Garden,” by Frances 

Hodgson Burnett. Dramatized and presented by 
the Dramatic Club. 

8. Song — “The Meeting of the Waters” — Moore. 

9. Quotations — Patriotic — found in this book. Grad- 

uates. 

10. a. “Salute to the Flag.” 

b. “Star-Spangled Banner.” 

11. Glee Club Selections. 

a. “The Fairest Flower” — Hermes. Silver 

Song Series, No. 6, page 46, Silver, Burdett 
& Co. 

271 


v 


272 A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL DAYS 


b. “Hunting Song” — Smart. Schirmer’s Octavo 
Choruses for Women’s Voices. 

12. Presentation of Diplomas by the District Superin- 

tendent. 

13. Song — Barcarolle “Tales of Hoffmann.” The Coda, 

Ginn & Co. School and Orchestra. 

14. Awarding of Prizes by Chairman of the Local School 

Board. 

15. Song — “Wanderer’s Night Song” — Rubinstein. 

16. Farewell Address — A Graduate. 

17. Address to Graduates. 

18. School Song, “Dear Fifteen.” Words by Margaret 

Knox. Music, “The Orange and the Black,” in 
The Abridged Academy Song Book, Ginn & Co. 
School and Orchestra. 

LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY 

1. Hymn — “The Heavens Proclaim” — Beethoven. Rix’ 

Assembly Song Book, page 152. 

2. Reading of the Scriptures. 

3. Hymn — “The Lord Is My Shepherd” — Koschat. 

Rix’ Assembly Song Book, page 172. 

4. Quotations — “A Tribute to Lincoln” — Descriptive of 

Lincoln’s Life and Character. 

5. Dramatization — “The Toy Shop” — Margretta Gerry. 

Published by Harper Bros. 

6. Song — “Speed Our Republic.” Rix’ Assembly Song 

Book, page 11. 

7. Play — “Reminiscences of Lincoln and the War.” 

Arranged by classes in Public School 15. 

8. Hymn — “America” — S. P. Smith. 

9. Reading of original composition — “The Death of Lin- 

coln” — Sixth Year Pupil. 


A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL DAYS 273 


10. Song — “ Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys are March- 

ing” — J. G. Holland. 

11. a. “ Salute to the Flag.” 

b. 1 ‘The Star Spangled Banner.” 

WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY 

1. Hymn — “0 Rest in the Lord” — Mendelssohn. 

2. Reading of the Scriptures. 

3. Hymn — “If With All Your Hearts” — Mendelssohn. 

4. Patriotic Quotations — Found in this book. 

5. a. “Salute to the Flag.” 

b. “Star Spangled Banner.” 

6. Dramatization — “Washington and the Spy” — James 

Fenimore Cooper. 

7. Song — ‘ ‘ W ashington, My W ashington. ’ ’ 

8. Play — “Penelope’s Christmas Dinner” — A Story of 

Washington at Trenton. Arranged from recita- 
tion, “Penelope’s Christmas Dance,” and his- 
torical facts of that time. 

9. Hymn — ‘ ‘ America. ’ ’ 

SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHDAY— APRIL 23 

1. Orchestra — Selections. 

2. Hymn — “To Adore Thee” — Silcher. Harmonic 

Third Music Reader, page 26, American Book Co. 

3. Reading of the Scriptures. 

4. But the Lord is Mindful of His Own” — Mendelssohn. 

Assembly Song Book, page 164, Barnes & Co. 

5. Salute to the Flag. 

6. Reading — “Life of William Shakespeare.” 

7. Scene from “Will Shakespeare’s Little Lad” — I. 

Clark. 

8. Glee Club. 


274 A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL DAYS 


a. “Who is Sylvia?” — William Shakespeare. 

b. “Blow, blow thou winter wind” — Harmonic 

Fourth Reader, page 63. American Book Co. 

9. Scene from “The Tempest” — William Shakespeare. 

10. Orchestra. 

11. Scene from “The Taming of the Shrew” — William 

Shakespeare. 

12. Song — “It Was a Lover and His Lass” — Shakespeare. 

Music by Morley. 

13. Play — “Master Skylark” — John Bennett. Found in 

this book. 

14. Orchestra. 

ARBOR DAY 

1. Chant — 1 1 Alleluia ’ ’ — Songs for Schools (Farnsworth) , 

page 101. 

2. Reading of the Scriptures. 

3. Anthem — ■ * Praise Ye the Father. ’ ’ 

4. a. “Salute to the Flag.” 

b. ‘ ‘ Star Spangled Banner. ’ ’ 

5. Quotations — ‘ ‘ Apple Blossoms ’ ’ — a collection of quota- 

tions by various authors on apple blossoms. 

6. Phonograph Selections. 

a. “Spring Song” — Mendelssohn. 

b. “The Butterfly” — Grieg. 

7. Recitation — “The Story the Trees Told.” Found in 

this book. 

8. Song — “The Years at the Spring” — Robert Browning. 

9. Dramatization — “The Burroughs Club” — A Nature 

Play. Found in this book. 

10. Song — “Farewell to the Forest” — Mendelssohn. 

11. Planting of Geranium Slips by the School. 

(Each child carries a flower pot filled with soil 
into the assembly room.) 


A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL DAYS 275 


PEACE DAY— MAY 18 

1. Hymn — “Let There Be Peace.” 

2. Reading of the Scriptures. 

3. Hymn — “Song of Peace” — R. S. Sullivan. Rix’ As- 

sembly Song Book, page 153. 

4. a. “Salute to the Flag.” 

b. “Star Spangled Banner.” 

5. Reading — Summary of the work of the two Hague 

Conferences. (All the reading matter on this 
subject can be obtained from the New York Peace 
Society, 507 Fifth Avenue.) 

6. Play — “The Meaning of Peace Day.” 

Introducing — a. “The Fatherland” — Lowell. 

b. “I am weary of your quarrels.” 

— Hiawatha. 

c. “For I dipt into the future, far 

as human eye could see” — 
Tennyson. 

d. “The Cherries of Naumburg 

Town.” 

e. Many quotations from speeches 

of famous men. 

7. Hymn — 1 1 These Things Shall Be ’ ’ — Symonds. 

FLAG DAY 

1. Hymn — “To Adore Thee” — Silcher. Harmonic 

Third Reader, page 26. 

2. Reading of the Scriptures. 

3. Anthem — “I Will Extol Thee” — Rinck. Harmonic 

Fourth Reader, page 58. 

4. Quotations — “An Apostrophe to the Flag.” Found 

in this book. 


276 A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL DAYS 


5. a. “Flag Salute.” 

b. 4 ‘ Star Spangled Banner. ’ ’ 

6. Recitation — “Old Glory” — James Whitcomb Riley. 

(Different children may recite the different stanzas 
and the Flag Captain answer the refrain.) 

7. Play — “Making the First Flag” — Written by the 

children. 

8. “Flags of All Nations” — School sings all the national 

airs with orchestra accompaniment and American 
Flag finally takes most prominent part. 

9. Song — “0 brave flag, 0 bright flag” — Henry van 

Dyke. 

10. Orchestra — “America.” 

11. School marches out to music of “Old Glory.” 

GRADUATION DAY— JUNE 

1. Opening Anthem — “Adore and Be Still” — Gounod. 

2. Reading of the Scriptures. 

3. Song — “ Pilgrim’s Chorus” — Wagner. Laurel Song 

Book, Birchard & Co., Boston. School and 
Orchestra. 

4. Address of Welcome — A Graduate. 

5. Song — “Mother Machree” — Olcott and Ball. Wit- 

mark & Sons. 

6. Quotations — “Education, the Foundation of Patriot- 

ism” — Graduates. A collection of quotations re- 
cited by graduates. 

7. a. “Salute to the Flag.” 

b. “Star Spangled Banner.” 

8. Glee Club Selections. 

a. “Jocelyn’s Lullaby” — Godard. Collection of 
Octavo Choruses for Women’s Voices. Luck- 
hardt & Beider. 


A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL DAYS 277 


b. “A Red, Red Rose” — Hastings. Schirmer. 

9. Nature Echoes. 

a. “Our Choice” — A Fantasy — Margaret Knox. 

Found in this book. 

b. Song — “A May Morning” — Denza. Chappell 

& Co. 

c. “Bird Notes” — Quotations concerning birds, 

set to music. 

d. Song — “I Heard a Voice” — Glover. School 

and Orchestra. 

10. Dramatization of “Bamaby Lee,” by John Bennett. 

Found in this book. A Story of Old New York. 
Dramatic Club. 

11. Song — “It was a Lover and His Lass” — Shakespeare. 

12. Presentation of Diplomas by the District Superin- 

tendent. 

13. Awarding of Prizes. 

14. Farewell Address — A Graduate. 

15. Address to Graduates. 

16. School Song — ‘ ‘ Dear Fifteen ’ ’ — School and Orchestra. 

COLUMBUS DAY 

1. Hymn — “The Lord Is My Shepherd,” by Koschat, in 

Rix’ Assembly Song Book, page 172. 

2. Reading of the Scriptures. 

3. Hymn — “To Adore Thee” — Silcher, Harmonic Third 

Music Reader, page 26. American Book Co. 

4. Recitation — “Sail on and on” — Joaquin Miller. 

5. Hymn — “God Save the State.” 

6. Reading of original composition — A Description of 

the painting “Columbus before the Court of 
Spain.” 

7. Spanish Dance — Athletic Club. 


278 A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL DAYS 


8. Play — “In Search of the New” — Written by the chil- 

dren. 

a. Leading the children of Israel to the Promised 

Land. 

b. Alexander the Great seeks new lands. 

c. Julius Caesar invades Britain. 

d. Christopher Columbus discovers America. 

e. David Livingstone explores Africa. 

f. Commodore Peary discovers the North Pole. 

g. Colonel Goethals cuts apart the Western Hemi- 

sphere. 

9. a. “Flag Salute.” 

b. “Star Spangled Banner.” 


THANKSGIVING DAY 

1. Hymn — “Come Ye Thankful People,” or any suitable 

song of praise and thanksgiving. 

2. Reading of the Scriptures. 

3. Hymn — “But the Lord is Mindful of His Own” — 

Mendelssohn. Assembly Song Book, page 164. 

4. Reading — Two Proclamations. 

a. President Lincoln’s in 1863. 

b. The President’s this year. 

5. Song — “Home, Sweet Home” — J. H. Payne. 

6. Play — “Thanksgiving Day in 1696.” Found in this 

book. 

Songs by School. 

Witches’ Dance. 

7. Song — “The Breaking Waves Dashed High” — 

Hemans. 

8. a. “ Salute to the Flag. ” 

b. “Star Spangled Banner.” 


A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL DAYS 279 


CHRISTMAS 

1. Hymn — “The Lord Is My Shepherd” — Koschat. 

Rix’ Assembly Song Book, page 172. 

2. Reading of the Scriptures. 

3. Song — ‘ ‘ Give Us Thy Grace. ’ ’ 

4. Play — “Mother Goose’s Christmas Party” — Arranged 

by the children. Introducing all the well known 
Mother Goose characters. 

5. Recitation — “It Was the Night Before Christmas” — 

C. C. Moore. 

6. Play — “The Cratchit’s Christmas Dinner” — Charles 

Dickens. 

7. Round — “A Southerly Wind.” 

8. Play — “The Ruggles’ Christmas Party” — Kate 

Douglas Wiggins. Found in “The Birds’ Christ- 
mas Carol.” 

9. a. “Flag Salute.” 

b. “Star Spangled Banner.” 

10. School Song — “Dear Fifteen.” 

School and Orchestra. 


AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES 

LITTLE MOTHERS’ LEAGUE DAY 
Part I 

Little Mothers come together and sing their. League Song. 

a. ‘ 4 Salute to the Flag. ’ ’ 

b. 4 ‘Star Spangled Banner.” 

March of the Nations with symbolic music. 

a. Greek Dance. 

b. Spartan War Song. 

c. Japanese Dance. 

d. Indian Dance. 

March of the Early Child Industry. 

a. Children of the Cotton Alills. 

b. Children of the Mines. 

c. Children of the Stores. 

Part II 


Child of To-Day. 

Model Little Mothers. 

Relics of Unenlightened Days. 

( bananas, 

soothing syrup bottles, 
nipples for milk bottles. 

Bottle Drill. 

Boys using baby bottles as dumb bells. 

Necessities for baby ’s comfort and health — Showing proper 
bed, bathing necessities, clothing, etc. 

280 


A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL DAYS 281 


Sunflower Dance. 

The ideal baby in the hot summer — About twenty chil- 
dren, carrying large paper sunflowers, dance the 
“ Flower Dance,” while tiny children run in and 
out among the dancers. 

School Song — “Dear Fifteen.” 

Orchestra. 

DRAMATIC CLUB ENTERTAINMENT 
Time for production — two hours. 

1. Piano Solo. 

2. Round — “Three Blind Mice.” 

3. Recitation — Chariot Race from “Ben Hur.” In 

Shoemaker’s Best Selections, No. 16. 

4. Vocal Solo — “Mother Machree” — Olcott and Ball. 

Witmark & Sons. 

5. Moving Pictures — Lady of the Lake. (One girl 

stands to the side and announces the picture while 
the others act it. Music.) 

James Fitz- James, lost in the forest, bewails his dead 
horse. 

At his bugle call, Ellen, the Lady of the Lake, appears. 
At Ellen’s home he recognizes the Douglas sword. Is 
welcomed by Lady Margaret. 

His sleep is troubled with curious dreams. (Singing 
during this picture.) 

Ellen and old Allan-bane watch his canoe float down 
the lake. 

Roderick Dhu and his men arrive. At the same time 
Douglas and Malcolm arrive. 

Roderick Dhu, after declaring that the King’s men 
are in pursuit, asks for the hand of Ellen and is 
refused by Douglas. 


282 A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL DAYS 


Roderick Dhu and Malcolm part in anger. 

Calling together of the clan. 

James Fitz- James comes again and finds Ellen at the 
Goblin’s Cave. He proposes and she tells him of 
her love for Malcom. He gives her a ring that 
will insure help from Scotland’s King. 

He is warned by Mad Blanche. Red Murdoch, his 
treacherous guide, tries to shoot him, and shoots 
Mad Blanche. James Fitz- James swears revenge 
on Roderick Dhu. Meeting of Roderick Dhu and 
James Fitz- James. Roderick Dhu calls his clan. 
Both declare themselves. 

The combat at Coilantogle Ford, in which Roderick 
Dhu is mortally wounded. 

The Court of Scotland. Ellen discovers that James 
Fitz- James is King of Scotland. Douglas par- 
doned. The doom of Malcolm. 

6. Dance — Highland Fling — Danced by boys in Scotch 

costume. 

7. Play — “The Foam Maiden” — Mackay. 

8. Monologue — “Keeping a Seat at the Benefit.” In 

“Monologues,” by Beatrice Herford. Published 
by Charles Scribner’s Sons. 

9. Play — “The Three Wishes” — Mackay. 

10. Dance — “Looking Backwards” — Ten girls with 

aprons, middy blouses, etc., put on backwards; 
sunbonnets, with the back of them made of crino- 
line, over the face; and false faces over the hair, 
dance “Reap the Flax.” At the beginning and 
end of the dance the girls bow first front, then to 
back. 

11. Play — “The Snow Witch” — Mackay. 

12. Vocal Solo — “Believe Me If All Those Endearing 

Young Charms” — Thomas Moore. 


A YEAR’S PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL DAYS 283 


13. Recitation and Pantomime — • ‘ The Handful of Clay” 

— Henry van Dyke. Found in this book. Musi- 
cal Accompaniment. 

14. Piano Solo. 

Note: — The plays by Miss Mackay are found in “The Silver Thread and 
Other Plays,” published by Henry Holt. 





















